Heads Will Roll
by Manake
Summary: Celty continues searching for her head, while struggling to keep up with her relationship with Shinra and her jobs with Izaya, leaving little to no time for Shizuo. When she does finally find time to hang out with him, he decides that he wants to help Celty look for her head, since she is coming so close. (Warning: Rated M for language and sexual content in later chapters.)
1. Chapter 1

The sun reflects off of Celty's yellow helmet as she speeds down the busy highway. Her trusty steed, Shooter, lets out a ghostly whinny when Celty revs the engine. The Dullahan's mind races through all of the tasks she must complete. The first was to deliver a package to a client of Izaya's, then she was to report back to Izaya's with yet another package from the client himself. After that, she was to talk to a witness about a recent kidnapping of various Raira students, per request of Mikado. And finally, she needed to deliver a letter across the city from one of Izaya's Yakuza acquaintances to another. After she was finished with her jobs, Shinra wanted her to meet him at Russia Sushi for dinner so they could talk.

Celty sighs to herself and weaves in and out of the busy traffic. _"Izaya has been working me like a dog lately. I wonder what's got him in such a giving mood?" _she wonders sarcastically. She wasn't going to deny she needed the money, but because of the frequency and the number of jobs he was giving her, she barely had any free time since she would be riding around the whole city all day. She was grateful she was at least able to spend some time with Shinra when she got home, but there was one person she missed spending time with over the past few weeks.

That person was Shizuo, her best friend. Usually she could find some time in between her jobs to hang out and talk to him for a bit, but Izaya was keeping her so busy that she wasn't able to. There were times when she wondered if the info broker was doing that on purpose. But at least she was able to text him every now and again, just to let him know she wasn't ignoring him intentionally. Usually Shizuo will understand, but there will be a day every now and again where he's in a foul mood and will be convinced for whatever reason that Celty is lying. Then, after talking it over for a bit, he will calm down and apologize for lashing out.

On top of all of the jobs she has been doing lately, and trying to make time for Shizuo, _and_ making time for Shinra, she was having less and less time to look for her head. Though, the last few times she has tried looking, she came so close she could almost hear it calling out to her. Maybe tonight she would try again if she finished early.

Celty completed her tasks in record time, but still cut it close for meeting Shinra for dinner. She pulled up to Russia Sushi, where an eager Shinra had been waiting for her. He greets her with a grin and a quick hug, which the Dullahan was quickly warming up to. "Hello, my Celty! I was wondering when you were gonna get here."

Celty typed a quick reply to the doctor after she dismounted her bike. [You worry too much. I still made it on time, didn't I?]

Shinra shrugged and offered her his arm as they entered the restaurant. "Well yeah, but usually you're a bit early. It was strange waiting on you for a change." He chuckled softly and led her to a seat toward the back. When they sat down, Shinra rests his chin in his hands, with a bit a dreamy look in his eye, and asks Celty, "So, how was your day? Not too stressful I hope."

Celty heaved a silent sigh as she slipped off her gloves, but kept her helmet on, and replied, [Stressful, no. Busy, yes. Izaya had me running all over the city to get his stupid stuff done. I've been running back and forth so much lately I feel like I'm repeating myself! I'm glad you suggested coming here, though. I miss spending time with you.]

Shinra beamed and took Celty's hand in his, then lightly kissed it. "I know, I do too. I feel like you're away too much. The apartment is starting to feel a bit empty without you."

Celty shook her head and typed out a response with her free hand. [I'm sorry. I don't mean to be away from you so much, it's just that I'm getting so close to finding my head and...I can't help but to keep looking.]

Shinra sighed softly, getting a bit discouraged when she brought up that head of hers again. He never liked it when she talked about it too much. If he had a dollar for every time he told Celty she looks perfect without her head, he'd be a rich man. But, he tried not to let his discomfort show too much and tried to offer words of support when needed. "Oh, really? Closer than usual?"

Celty nodded. [Closer than I've ever been. I feel like I'm getting turned around less often, and the pull is getting stronger. I'm so close I can practically feel it in my hands, Shinra!] She began to tremble slightly with excitement, and a tiny wisp of black mist found its way out of the visor of her helmet.

Shinra stroked her hand lightly, trying to calm Celty down. "Hey, easy. Don't get too worked up. You know how you get when you're excited."

Celty seized her hand back and got herself under control. [Sorry about that. I'm just happy about how close I'm getting.]

"I know," Shinra replied with a chuckle. He loved seeing Celty so happy, but wished she wasn't quite so happy about _that._ Soon, his sushi came, and he hoped eating would take his mind off of things for a bit.

Celty watched Shinra as he ate, and felt that slight envy again. There were times when she couldn't stand seeing him do things she could not because she had no head. Things like speak, smile, laugh, cry, scowl...even eat. She was never sure if she would even be able to eat if she got her head back, considering none of her organs – though present – did not function. So for that matter, could she taste? Smell? See? Well, if she could do all of these things now, she was almost positive she would be able to with a head.

While Shinra continued his meal, Celty decided to ask, [So Shinra, how was your day?] So, he told her about his day. He cleaned around the apartment for a bit, then went to work. He even mentioned some amusing stories about patients he'd helped, which was rare for him since his position as a doctor wasn't exactly...public. But, Celty was glad he was opening up a bit more about his job, and himself as well. She felt that their relationship was so full of secrets, like her jobs with Izaya and his job as an underground doctor, that it was hard for them to share things about their lives. But nowadays, they shared what they could, and still kept in mind that some things are not meant to be shared.

After Shinra had finished talking and was finishing his dinner, Celty received a text from who else but the man she was dying to see: Shizuo.

_[Hey. How'd your day go?] _The message read.

Celty was touched that he took the time to message her every now and again. Usually it was she who texted him first, which she never liked doing because she felt like she was bothering him. He never complained though, so she figured it was alright that she did so.

In fact, Celty would never know this, but Shizuo felt the same way when she texted him. He rather enjoyed the fact that there was someone who actually cared about what was going on in his life, but he felt like texting her first would somehow bother her if she was out on a job or having alone time with Shinra. But Celty never complained, because she was always happy to hear from Shizuo.

[It went okay,] she replied back. [Busy as hell, but everything went smoothly. How about you?]

_[Same old crap. People pissing me off constantly. It's getting annoying.] _Celty was about to reply when she got a second message. _[I miss talking to you.]_

This caught Celty completely by surprise. He _missed_ her? Since when did Shizuo Heiwajima _miss _anyone? Though she didn't let herself get too shocked. She remembered that he once confided in her that he does tend to get lonely every now and again, so she supposed it was only natural for him to miss her.

[I know. I miss you, too. I hope you're managing alright without me.]

_[More or less. If you're not too busy, you wanna come over?]_

"Celty, are you alright? You seem distracted." Shinra had finished eating and was getting money out of his wallet when he noticed that Celty looked preoccupied with something. "Is something on your mind?"

Celty snapped to attention when Shinra spoke up. She had been so absorbed in her conversation with Shizuo that she almost forgot Shinra was still there. She exited out of the chat to type Shinra a reply. [It's nothing. Shizuo messaged me and wondered if I was free to hang out.] She didn't bother to tell Shinra about the other part of the conversation. Shizuo did have his reputation to keep, after all.

Shinra smiled and nodded. "I see. So what did you tell him?"

[Nothing yet. I still wasn't sure if I wanted to or not.]

"Celty, it's alright. If you want to go see him, go. You and I can hang out anytime since we see each other at home. But I feel like you and Shizuo haven't hung out in a long time. Plus you've been working hard lately, so I think you deserve it."

It was times like this that Celty was grateful that Shinra was such an understanding person. She wasn't sure of anyone else's boyfriend would casually grant their girlfriend permission to go hang out with their best guy friend. Celty stood up and threw her arms around Shinra. [Thank you! Do you want me to drop you off at home first?]

Shinra hugged Celty back and replied, "No, I'll be fine. You just get going before it gets too late. I'll see you later." He kissed Celty's hand again and paid his bill, then walked her outside to where she parked Shooter.

[I'll try not to be too late.]

Shinra chuckled. "Celty, it's fine. Take as much time as you need. I won't wait up...unless you want me to, of course."

Celty shook her head. [Don't be silly. You need to be up early tomorrow. I'll be quiet when I come in though. If I don't see you when I get home, I'll see you in the morning.] She slips her gloves back on and mounts Shooter, then replies to Shizuo's last message. [I'm on my way. Be there in a few minutes.] She then waves goodbye to Shinra and pulls away from the curb, Shooter sounding his haunting whinny as she does so.

By now, Celty knew the roads of Ikebukuro like the back of her own hand. She knew all of the twists and turns, memorized every block, even familiarized herself with all the shortcuts and back alleys. After living in this city for 20 years, these streets had become hers. Everyone came to know, and some fear, the Black Rider. As much as she rode around on her trusted steed, no matter how many times a day, she still preferred to ride at night. Not just because she was in her element amongst the shadows, but because of the lights. The city came to life in the night, the buildings and even the streets were set ablaze in a rainbow of neon, headlights, and street lights. It was truly a beautiful sight in her eyes.

Celty savored the chill of the early autumn air as she dodged around the weekend traffic and approached her destination. She figured Shizuo would be home by now, so she headed straight for his apartment complex before checking anywhere else. Sure enough, the light on the third floor was on, which only meant that Shizuo was in for the night. However, what she did not expect was to see him already standing on the front stairs, waiting patiently for her arrival.

Shizuo smirked at the Dullahan, the last bit of a cigarette in his mouth, then he quickly snuffed it out as he walked up to her. He knew she hated his smoking, even though she never said anything, so he wanted to get rid of it before they got to talking. "Geez Rider, took ya long enough!" He playfully punched her in the arm and chuckled softly, something he rarely did around other people.

Celty chuckled silently and replied, [Hey, cut me some slack! You know how weekend traffic is!]

Shizuo chuckled again and shook his head, then leaned against the back end of her bike. "Relax, I'm just messin' with ya. So, how are things? I feel like we haven't talked in forever."

[I know,] Celty said. [I've just been so busy lately that I have almost no free time anymore.]

"The flea keeping you busy?" he asked with a sneer. Whenever he referred to "the flea," he was talking about Izaya. It was a nickname he came up with for him when the two first met.

Celty nodded. [Unfortunately, yes. He has me running back and forth all day long, almost every day. It's driving me nuts!]

Shizuo shrugged. "Well, at least you're getting paid, right?" As much as he hated the fact that Celty was working for _him,_ he was glad she at least had a steady job in this crazy city.

[I guess so.] Celty sighed. [Just sometimes, it's too much. Sometimes, I wish I could take off for awhile. You know, just take Shooter and drive to nowhere in particular. I just want to feel free again, even if only for a little while.] It took her a moment before she realized she was rambling, something that usually got on Shizuo's nerves rather quickly. [Sorry. You probably don't want to hear about my problems.]

Shizuo just laughed and shook his head, then nudged her shoulder with his. "C'mon, Celty. You know I don't mind. It's fine, really."

If Celty had a mouth, it would be turned up in a smile about now. She was never sure why, but he acted differently around her. She knew that she was one of the few people in this entire world who could calm him down, even from his foulest of moods. Perhaps that was why he acted this way around her: because since she could calm him like she could, he valued her as an important person in his life. Of course, there was the fact that Celty and Shizuo were kindred spirits, in a way. Both of them know what it's like to be feared and alienated because they were different from everyone else. With the strange abilities they both possessed, people came to steer clear of the Black Rider and the strongest man in Ikebukuro. It was hard, because neither of them had many friends to confide in and be themselves around. For that reason, they felt like being friends made the loneliness easier to cope with. It made them feel like they weren't alone in the world, and that someone understood their pain, their struggles. Being friends was perhaps the most important thing in each of their lives.

After a moment of silence, Shizuo asked, "So, how's the head hunt comin'?" He always made sure he asked Celty about that, which always made her day. It made her feel like he cared, unlike Shinra, who almost never asked.

Celty eagerly typed back, [It's going well! I haven't had too much time to go out lately, but when I do, I've been getting really close. It's kind of exciting, really.]

Shizuo smirked and adjusted his blue sunglasses. "Good to hear. You think you'll ever find it?"

Celty nodded. [This time, I really do. But...]

"But what?"

[I feel like if finding it gets delayed any longer, it might disappear. I know it sounds like paranoia, but that's just how it's worked out for me, at least in my dreams. I'll get so close, I'll be right there, and then it'll vanish right between my fingers. It scares me, Shizuo. I _need_ to find it!]

Shizuo read the message and thought for a moment. Then he looked right at Celty and asked, "Well...what if you had help?"

Celty shook her helmet. [Trust me, I could use it, but don't know how useful it would be. I'm kind of the only one who knows what it is I'm looking for, so I don't know how much good it'll be.]

Shizuo scoffs and rolls his eyes. "I'll figure out a way! I don't care if it takes us forever, we'll find your head in some way or another!"

Celty was shocked. Where did all this enthusiasm come from? What exactly did he expect to accomplish by helping her? [Shizuo, that's very sweet, but I'm not sure this'll work. I mean, where would you even start?]

"Like I said, I'll figure it out! I mean come on, is it so bad that I wanna help you?" Shizuo turned his body to fully face her, and his stance shifted defensively.

Celty waved her hands in front of her slightly, not wanting to irritate him further. [No, no, not at all! I would love it if you helped me! I just – ] She quickly backspaced before she finished typing that sentence, not wanting to start an argument with him and have an innocent bystander get hurt because of it. [It is true what you said, I do need help. It would be greatly appreciated, thank you.] Celty paused briefly, then typed, [You're a good friend, Shizuo.]

A light pink blush colored his cheeks, but Shizuo turned his face away so Celty didn't see. For some time now, Shizuo's feelings for Celty have blossomed to more than just friendship, but he didn't want her to know just yet. He knew her heart belonged to Shinra, as much as he couldn't stand the guy, so he didn't want to say anything in fear of compromising their friendship. So long as things stayed the same between them, he was happy, and he always would be content with that. Shizuo chuckled softly and replied, "Yeah, yeah, I know. So, you wanna come inside? It's a little chilly out here."

Celty debated this in her head for a minute. She didn't want to stay too long, in case Shinra was waiting for her, but he had already told her to take as much time as she needed, and it has been far too long since she has had a real conversation with her best friend, so...[Sure, I'd like that.] she finally replied. She then rolled Shooter into the alley so he would be safe, then followed Shizuo into the building. After walking up three flights of stairs, they reached his apartment. Celty had never actually been inside before, so when Shizuo opened the door, what lay on the other side didn't really surprise her much.

It wasn't very big, but it was at least big enough to live comfortably. From what Celty could see, even though the living room and kitchen were somewhat connected, the bedroom and bathroom were separate. In the living room, Shizuo had a small TV in the corner, maybe about 12 inches, and a dark red loveseat in front of it. As she looked around some more, Celty noticed that the apartment looked...cleaner than she had expected. Sure, there was a stray dish here and there, and of course the occasional article of clothing, but it definitely was not what she had imagined Shizuo's place to look like.

When Shizuo moved inside and shut the door, he caught Celty looking around. He chuckled and asked her, "Expecting a disaster area, were ya?" Celty became embarrassed and tried to type a response, but couldn't think of what to say to defend her case. In the end, Shizuo just laughed and smacked her playfully in the arm. "Relax, Rider, I'm just joking. So, you just gonna stand there, or you wanna make yourself comfortable?" He kicks his shoes off at the door and moves farther inside, then takes a seat on the couch. Celty slipped off her shoes as well, then joined Shizuo on the sofa. She removed her helmet upon sitting down and set it on the floor. She knew Shizuo didn't mind the fact that she didn't have a head, nor did he mind actually being reminded of the fact. Celty knew that, like Shinra, Shizuo thought she looked fine without her head. However, the only difference was that Shizuo was actually supportive of her search and didn't try to keep her from it. For that, Celty was forever grateful to him.

Meanwhile, Shizuo was looking over at Celty with a barely noticeable smile on his face. He loved seeing her with her helmet off, because as cute as it was, he preferred seeing the real her. The black smoke that elegantly curled forth from her neck was really quite relaxing for him to watch. He could sit there all day and watch it for hours. To him, everything about Celty was relaxing; her silence, her actions, her cool touch, and of course the smoke from her neck. She had this supernatural ability to calm him down without even trying, and that was one of the main reasons he kept her around, as selfish as that sounded. But in reality, he had no idea what he would do if she were to ever leave. Sure, Tom and Kasuka could still talk him down from his rampages, but Tom was his boss, so they talked on a more professional level, and Kasuka he almost never saw anymore, since he was busy with his movies and such. Celty was the one friend he knew he could count on, no matter what, and felt that being with her was the best thing for him – not to mention the city.

Celty glanced over at Shizuo for a second and caught him looking at her. [What is it?] she asked.

Shizuo quickly looked away and smirked. "It's nothing," he replied. "Mind if I turn on the TV?" he asked as he picked up the remote.

Celty simply shrugged and replied, [I don't mind. It's your apartment, go ahead.]

So, Shizuo turned the TV on and flipped through the few channels he had, since he didn't actually have cable, and eventually decided on watching the news for lack of anything else to watch, even though watching it did tend to piss him off. But, he hoped that having Celty here would keep him level-headed.

They paid attention for a little bit, then Celty started to get discouraged. [Seeing all this really gets me down sometimes. What is this city coming to?]

Shizuo just shrugged. "Hey, 'Bukuro's always been a crazy place. Just lately it's gotten crazier."

Celty chuckled silently and replied, [No thanks to us, huh?]

Shizuo scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He let a small laugh escape his throat and looked back at Celty. "You and I really are somethin' else, aren't we?"

[Definitely not normal, that's for sure. I still wonder how the people in our lives put up with us sometimes.]

"Speaking of putting up with people, how does your precious doctor feel about you lookin' for your head all the time?"

The smoke rising from Celty's neck came out in one large cloud for a moment – as it did whenever Shinra came up in conversation – then it receded back to its normal flow. [I don't really know, to tell you the truth. I mean I'm sure a part of him is happy for me, but I feel like overall, he doesn't want me to find it. He always keeps telling me "You don't need your head, you're perfect without it!" But he's been telling me that for years now, and honestly I'm a little sick of it. I may have come to terms with how I look without my head, but my memories of my life back in Ireland are within it, and whatever it was that connected my body to my head was severed when Shinra's father used Saika on me. I've determined that getting my head back is the only way to retrieve my memories and remember who I was.]

He didn't let Celty see, but Shizuo smiled softly, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said, "Well, that's what you've got me for now. I'm gonna help you get it back, Celty, no matter what. I mean, it's not like I've got anything better to do."

Celty was overcome with happiness at Shizuo's words. She was so exhilarated at the fact that someone was willing to go out of their way to help her in her search that she could barely contain herself. The Dullahan flung her arms around Shizuo and hugged him tight. Without even needing a typed reply from her, Shizuo knew she was thanking him. Even though he was blushing slightly from the fact that she was hugging him, he didn't care. All he wanted was to see her happy. He brought his arms around Celty and said, "Yeah, you're welcome. You know you're the only person I'd do this for."

Celty's curiosity was sparked from his statement. She released her hold on him and typed, [Why's that? Is it because I'm the only headless person you know?]

Shizuo sighed and shook his head. "Well...yeah, _that_, but also 'cause...well...you're my best friend, Celty. I just wanna see you happy."

Celty's elegant black smoke swirled around the base of her neck, almost in a happy manner, and she said, [Thank you, Shizuo. That means so much to hear you say that. And I just want you to know...you're my best friend, too.]

Shizuo smiled and returned his attention to the television, but still kept his arm around Celty's shoulders. "So then, do we begin the search tomorrow?"

Celty shrugged and returned to her previous sitting position. [Whatever works for you. I'll keep you posted.] With one final nod from Shizuo, they watched the news for a little while longer, sitting in silence. Celty didn't even mind the fact that Shizuo's arm was around her. In fact, she rather liked it...a lot. It almost felt right, sitting like that with him. She glanced over at him and heaved her shoulders contently, then rested on his shoulder. Shizuo simply smiled at the gesture, happier than anything to be in Celty's company, and flipped through the channels a little more until setting on a movie that was playing. It was a romantic comedy about two best friends, who wind up together in the end. Celty ended up falling asleep about halfway through, and Shizuo followed suit during the credits. Not wanting to disturb her, he slowly shifted so that they were now lying down with her settled comfortably on top of him. He slipped off his sunglasses and set them down on the floor, then shut his eyes and drifted off to the most peaceful, rested sleep he's had in years.


	2. Chapter 2

A bright sun peeks through the blinds in Shizuo's living room window. Celty stirs, and immediately notices the light. She grabs her PDA from the floor and checks the time. "_8:45?! Oh, crap!" _She was about to bolt upwards and rush out the door, but then she realized what was under her was not just a couch cushion, but a body. Shizuo's body, to be exact. "_Oh right...I kinda fell asleep on him. Oops..." _Not wanting to disturb him, Celty slowly rises and picks her helmet up from the floor and sets it on her neck. Before turning to leave, Celty catches a glimpse of Shizuo's sleeping face. She was struck with a feeling of awe, noticing something that was never present on his expression while he was awake – a sense of peace. Usually whenever she saw him, he wore a scowl, or just a blank expression, and then there was the occasional smile whenever she was around. But even when he smiled, it seemed that he was always tense or irritated. Now, in his slumbering state, all of his muscles were relaxed, and he looked peaceful and at ease. Celty already thought Shizuo was quite handsome, but at this moment, he looked more handsome than ever before. She took a moment to just look at him as he slept, almost certain she would never get this rare opportunity again. She leaned against the arm of the couch and studied him closely. She noticed everything – the even movement of his chest as he breathed, the sound of him inhaling and exhaling, the occasional twitch of a finger or a toe. Then she looked to his eyes, and watched as his lids fluttered as his REM state took place. "_I wonder what he's dreaming about?"_ Celty wondered. It must have been something nice, given his peaceful demeanor.

Celty had to practically force herself to look away from him, then she stood up and wandered into the kitchen before she left. After finding a pen and a napkin on the counter, she wrote Shizuo a quick note informing him of her departure and stuck it on the fridge, then tiptoed over to her shoes, slipped her feet into them, and slipped out the door without a sound. Celty trotted down the three flights of stairs to the front door of the building, then once outside, she retrieved Shooter from the alley. Breathing a sigh of relief seeing that he survived the night alone, she mounted her steed and sped off for home.

Shizuo's eyes shot open upon hearing a familiar whinnying, and sighed heavily to see Celty had left. "Didn't even say goodbye," he grumbled sleepily. He stretched his body out for a moment, then trudged to the kitchen for a glass of milk after picking his sunglasses up off the floor. Upon reaching the fridge, he finds a note neatly scrawled on a napkin. Shizuo smirked slightly, knowing who it was from.

_Shizuo – _

_Thank you for a great time last night. Even though we didn't talk much, it was still nice hanging out with you again. Sorry about not saying goodbye, I didn't want to wake you. Anyway, I'll text you later when I get time. See you soon._

_~Celty_

Shizuo's smirk spread to a full smile as he read Celty's note, and read it over several times as he poured himself a glass of milk and chugged it down. He continued reading it as he moved into the bathroom to commence his morning routine. When he glanced in the mirror briefly, he caught his reflection and he couldn't help but laugh. "You better stop grinning like an idiot, or people will think you've gone soft," he told himself. Then, after scanning through the neat cursive once more, Shizuo folds the napkin neatly into fours and tucks it carefully into his vest pocket, not wanting to wrinkle it. He continues through his morning ritual normally – shower, shave, breakfast, getting dressed – but all the while, the thought of having the Dullahan asleep on his chest last night wandered into and out of his mind. He had to admit, even though that was the first time having company while he slept, especially company of the opposite sex, he was beyond glad it had been Celty. He felt more rested and refreshed after a night's sleep than he ever had before, and he supposed he had Celty to thank. As he changed into a clean set of his usual bartender clothes, he made sure to remove the note from the dirty vest and tuck it into the chest pocket of the clean one. Shizuo caught himself smiling again and held his hand over his chest for a moment, pressing the note as close to his heart as he could. It wasn't fair, what the Dullahan was doing to him, but he would never complain. So long as he could make her happy, he was happy. In fact, after all this time, he figured it was official:

"Shit...I'm in love with her." He laughed at the very notion that he, Shizuo Heiwajima, strongest man in Ikebukuro, whom everyone had come to know and fear, was in love. However, he was not going to deny his feelings anymore...at least, not to himself. If anyone else found out – especially Izaya – he would never live it down. So for now, he would have to keep up his usual angry, violent facade for as long as he lived in this city. Although, just for today, perhaps being in a good mood for once couldn't hurt.

As he made his way outside onto the busy city sidewalk, he breathed in the fresh air and basked in the sun for a moment. He could smell and feel the slight chill of autumn in the air, which he would usually complain about since he preferred the warmer seasons, but today, everything just seemed right with the world. He walked a little taller than usual as he went to meet Tom at their usual spot, and smirked to himself every now and again whenever he remembered Celty's note nestled comfortably in his pocket.

Celty arrived home in record time, even having to deal with morning rush hour traffic. She opened the door and snuck in as quietly as she could, but apparently it wasn't quiet enough. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, she was greeted by a very enthusiastic, eager doctor.

"Oh, Celty! My dear, dear Celty, _there_ you are! When you didn't come last night, I was so worried! Are you alright? What happened?" Shinra wrapped Celty in a tight embrace, then looked her over to make sure she was uninjured and in one piece.

Celty sighed and pulled out her PDA. "_I should have known this would happen,"_ she thought to herself. [Yes, Shinra, I'm fine! I stayed at Shizuo's last night and forgot to call.]

Shinra looked at the screen with a puzzled look. He shifted an eyebrow and replied, "You...did? And he...let you?" As far as he knew, Shizuo was a rather private guy, and never had people at his apartment under any circumstances. The fact that he allowed Celty to stay was a bit strange to him.

[Of course he did! Why wouldn't he?] Shinra simply shrugged in response, and Celty began to type once again. [When I got to his place, we talked outside for a bit, then went up to his apartment because it was cold out. Then we watched a movie and ended up falling asleep during it. I'm sorry I worried you. Next time, I promise I'll call.]

After Shinra read through the message, he smiled and wrapped his arms gently around Celty. "It's alright, Celty. Just as long as I know you're safe." He released her and smiled, then asked, "So...if you don't mind my asking, what did you talk about?" He was always curious about what they talked about, since Shizuo was never the talkative type. He wondered what it was that made Celty different from everyone else in the blonde's mind.

Celty shrugged. [We mostly just caught up on recent events. Although, he did kind of promise me something sort of insane...]

Shinra tilted his head to the side. "Oh? And what was that?"

Celty hesitated slightly, but eventually answered, [He promised to help me find my head.]

Shinra was at a loss for words. He had no idea they even talked about that, and he was practically appalled that Shizuo would make such a promise to her. He had to wonder... "Celty...I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I mean, this is your problem, isn't it? Why would you be roping other people into helping, especially your friends?"

Celty was enraged by what Shinra had just asked. If he knew her at all, he would never think she would "rope other people into helping." She typed out a new message furiously, her fingers clicking the keys at rapid speed. [Hey, I didn't _ask _for him to help! He offered, and I declined, but he was insistent on helping me. It wasn't my fault, alright?!] Before Shinra could reply, she typed something new. [I'm going to take a quick shower. If anyone calls, answer it, alright?] Shinra replied with a single nod, then Celty removed her helmet and tossed it onto the sofa. She slammed the bathroom door behind her, still angry with Shinra for making that assumption about Shizuo. However, she wasn't going to let it ruin her day. She turned the water on and stripped her tight, black riding suit off and tossed it aside, then stepped into the shower and sighed as she let the hot water run over her body.

In the living room, Shinra heaved a heavy sigh and collapsed onto the couch. He looked over at the yellow helmet beside him and shook his head. "Oh, Celty. What are we going to do about this problem of yours?" This constant talk about her head was starting to get on his nerves, and he wished she would just give up already. However, he knew how stubborn she was, and knew that she wouldn't stop until the damn thing was in her possession once again. He always feared for that day. Shinra always feared the day Celty would find her head and that everything would change after that. What if she changed completely and no longer became the headless beauty he had grown to love? What if she remembered everything about her past and no longer wanted to stay in Ikebukuro, and moved back to her homeland? What if Celty finding her head meant losing her forever? No matter what thoughts passed through his mind, he saw no good coming from Celty growing closer to her prize.

Celty's PDA suddenly started ringing, and Shinra immediately recognized the number. He answered the call and said, "Celty's PDA."

A lazy, smooth voice sounded over the other end. 'Shinra, is that you?'

"Yes, Izaya, it's me."

'I had no idea Celty had made you her personal secretary.' Izaya chuckled softly, then continued, 'Speaking of Celty, is she there? I need to speak with her.'

"No, she's not," Shinra replied, "but whatever you need her for, I'll let her know."

'Just have her stop by my place in an hour. I have another job for her.' The line disconnected and Shinra looked at the PDA screen for a moment. He sighed and shook his head.

"Damn it, Izaya; give her a break, won't you?" Shinra then stood up and moved toward the bathroom. He knocked on the door and called, "Celty, Izaya just called. He wants you to meet him at his office in an hour." He returned to the couch and turned on the television, waiting to see if he would need to be called in for work today as well.

Celty groaned in frustration to herself. "_Damn it! Work, work, work, that's all he has me do now! I'm so sick of him!"_ She drew a deep breath to calm herself, and in the meantime tried to enjoy the rest of her shower. She lathered up some soap in her hands and rubbed it all over her body. As she spread it over her chest, she allowed her mind to wander and her imagination to take over. Celty imagined a pair of hands other than her own caressing her skin, running their fingers all over her curves, practically dancing over her stomach, her hips, her breasts; a pair of big, masculine hands, connected to two strong, muscular arms. Those arms led up to a set of broad shoulders, and a toned, broad chest. Connected to the shoulders was a neck, on top of which rested a handsome, peaceful face with a beautiful smile, brown eyes, and a head of tousled bleach-blonde hair. The lips which were upturned in a smile kissed and played across the cool skin of her neck, and every now and again a tongue would dart out and lightly lick her neck and shoulder, making the Dullahan shiver with delight. Celty quickly shook the image away, finding herself a bit surprised that she wasn't fantasizing about Shinra – her boyfriend – but...Shizuo. "_What brought _that _on?"_ she wondered. She had never thought about Shizuo that way before, nor did she ever think she would, so why now? Then she thought back to seeing Shizuo asleep on his couch and remembered thinking how handsome he was...but that was different, that was merely observation. Celty had been _fantasizing_ about him just now, right out of the blue. Perhaps it was because, subconsciously, she had deeper feelings than friendship for Shizuo that were finally emerging after hiding for god knows how long? The thought of this frightened her a bit, since she was still so in love with Shinra. However, in recent days, she felt that she and the doctor were drifting apart, and the reason for that was obvious: her head. She knew he didn't want her to find it, and it was clear he was upset that Shizuo had offered to help. Well no matter what Shinra said, she was still going to look. She was so close, and _nothing_ was going to get in her way.

Celty shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, then dried herself off with the towel she had hanging on the rack on the wall. Once she was completely dry, she changed back into her riding suit and hung her towel up to dry, then emerged from the bathroom, steam spilling out behind her. She appeared behind Shinra and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, reaching for her PDA.

Shinra gasped softly at Celty's touch, not quite expecting the hug. "What's this for?" He smiled as he ran a hand up her arm, then he handed her the PDA when she reached for it.

Celty replied, [I'm sorry for getting so angry earlier. It's just that Shizuo is my friend and I didn't like that you were saying all those things about him.]

Shinra nodded and took her hand in his, kissing the back of it lightly. "I know, and I am sorry for that. I didn't mean to sound so insulting." He looked at the clock on the wall, then back at Celty. "You'd better get going if you're going to make it to Izaya's on time."

Celty raised her hands in a flustered manner. [Like I care. He can wait.] But, Shinra was right. If she was late, Izaya would make sure his transporter never heard the end of it. She stood upright and grabbed her helmet from next to Shinra. [I'll be back later. Don't wait up.]

Shinra gave a halfhearted smile and replied, "I know. I'll see you later, Celty. Try not to work too hard."

Celty nodded. [I'll try. See you later.] With that, she turned to the door and exited the apartment, then rode down the elevator with Shooter. Once at the bottom, she rolled him out into the street, climbed onto his back, then they took off for Izaya's.

The ride to Shinjuku, where Izaya lived, seemed longer than usual. Celty took all the same roads she usually took, but for some reason the trip seemed to drag on forever. Every once in a while, Celty would get a vision of her fantasy of Shizuo in the shower, and she would have to shake the thought away to concentrate. After the third time it happened however, she allowed the image to stay. Then, past memories with her and Shizuo began to play through in her mind. She recalled all of their trips to the park, where they would sit and talk for hours on end. She remembered the incident with the Slasher, when Shizuo got mad when the Slasher attacked her, and then when Shizuo took on the whole Saika army by himself. He was so brave then, and he didn't flinch even once. Then she remembered the gloves she made for him right before the fight, and wondered whatever became of those. Her memories traveled back to last night, when they sat on his comfy red couch together, with his arm casually draped around her shoulders, and her body leaning against his. Celty remembered how good that felt, sitting there with him in perfect silence, with his arm around her...his protective, strong arm...which held her as she slept...

Before she knew it, Celty had almost driven right past Izaya's apartment. She slammed hard on Shooter's brakes, which resulted in a gruff, displeased huff from the steed. "_Sorry about that,"_ she said as she patted his side when they came to a stop. She swung her leg over to dismount, then entered the building and took the elevator up to the top floor, where Izaya awaited in his office. She always hated coming here, but she never really had a choice in the matter. Celty knocked on the apartment door, then was promptly greeted by the Info Broker himself.

"My dear transporter, I was wondering when you would get here! Please, come in!" Celty entered the apartment and sat down on the large, black leather sofa, which she always found to be very uncomfortable. She always wondered how Izaya tolerated sitting on it for so long. Izaya took a seat at his desk and spun his chair around once, then turned to face Celty, his hands folded neatly under his chin. "So, I bet you're wondering why you're here."

Celty sighed silently and thought to herself, "_You've gotta be kidding me."_ Meanwhile, she typed on her PDA, [Shinra said you had more work for me.]

Izaya snapped his fingers and leaned back in his chair. "That I did! Now, the job is very simple today, but quite important, so pay attention." He pulls out a white envelope from a drawer in his desk and holds it out for Celty. "First, this needs to be delivered to my friend here in Shijuku – the address is on the envelope. Then, he will have a package for me which I need you to bring back here. Think you can handle it?"

Celty stands up and takes the envelope from Izaya. [No problem.]

Izaya grins and lets out a soft chuckle. "I knew I could count on you, Celty. Now go, you don't want to keep our clients waiting!~"

As Celty heads for the door, she thinks to herself, "_Anymore of this crap and I'm gonna get a headache."_ As soon as she puts her hand on the doorknob, she gets that familiar chill up her spine. "_No...it can't be..."_ She only ever got a sensation like that when her head was close by, and this time, it was _really_ strong. Celty wanted so badly to follow the magnetic pull, but there was one thing standing in her way, though ironically, he was sitting.

Izaya looked at Celty, puzzled, when she freezes in front of the door. "Celty, is everything alright?"

She nods, then she exits the apartment. Once in the hallway, she leans against the wall in utter disbelief. "_I don't believe it. Could it be...that it's been here this whole time? Has...has _Izaya _of all people been hiding it from me? How could I not have noticed it before?"_ She had been to Izaya's apartment several times, and not once had she felt the presence of her head in there before. Well this time, there was no doubt about it – her head that she had been searching 20 long years for was hidden somewhere in Izaya's apartment, and she had to tell Shizuo right away. In the elevator, on the way down to the first floor, Celty sent a very excited text message to Shizuo which read, [I know where my head is!] She was unsure of what he was doing right now, but she knew he would get the message eventually and answer back as soon as he could.

"_I could just kill him!"_

Celty was absolutely furious as she tore along Ikebukuro's back roads. The "simple" job Izaya had given her had quickly turned into a wild goose chase all around the city, fetching things for various clients in exchange for other things, though none were what Celty actually needed for Izaya. She knew she would find it eventually, but the last thing she wanted was for the job to ultimately last all day, even though she had already been out and about for approximately 2 ½ hours now. "_This is the _last _time I believe him when he says a job is "simple"! I just...RRRAH!" _Celty revved Shooter's engine and he let out a loud, long whinny, notifying everyone within a two mile radius of their approach.

Meanwhile, Shizuo, who was out to lunch, heard the haunting call of a certain spectral horse belonging to a certain Dullahan. "Uh oh, that ain't a happy sound. I wonder what's wrong?" he asked himself. Usually Shooter never sounded like that unless Celty was upset about something, and he hoped he would be able to talk to her before she took off again. In the distance, Shizuo saw a dark silhouette quickly approaching him, and waved in its direction so it had time to slow down.

Celty continued to speed and weave her way in and out of the cars on the road, when a short distance away she saw a figure dressed in black and white with a mess of yellow on its head. Even from where she was she could tell it was Shizuo, but her assumption was confirmed when he started waving at her. Celty hit the brakes and little by little Shooter began to slow, then she finally came to a halt in front of the bode guard on the sidewalk. She busted out her PDA and typed out, [Boy, am I glad to see you! Got a minute to talk?]

Shizuo smiled, promptly climbed onto the back of her steed, and rested his hands on her hips. "For you," he replied, "I got all the time in the world."

Celty froze up for a moment when she felt Shizuo's hands on her hips, and her mind went back to what had happened in the shower this morning. Those large, warm hands of his made her yearn for more of his touch, as did feeling his body against her back, but she tucked those thoughts back into the recesses of her mind just as she tucked her PDA back into her pocket. Celty then revved Shooter's engine once more, and the pair took off for their usual chat spot in the park. She had a bit of time to kill before she was to report to the next pickup location, so she figured a good talk with Shizuo would be good for taking her mind off of a particular info broker whom she'd like very much to strangle. During their ride to the park, they stayed completely silent, while Shizuo's hands remained holding tight to her hips, but Celty wasn't the only one fighting her own urges. The blonde was doing his damnedest trying to keep his hands from wandering elsewhere – rather, everywhere – on the Dullahan's body. He died to have his fingers travel along her curves, across her stomach, up and down her arms, legs, and back, and of course, that chest of hers was just oh so tempting. His hands longed to feel those soft, supple breasts beneath them, to squeeze and play with them for as long as he pleased. Shizuo's grip on Celty's hips tightened slightly when he noticed a certain something in his trousers getting a bit...stiff. He shifted back in his seat a bit so Celty would not notice, then took a deep breath to get himself under control, but kept his hands where they were, not wanting to release their hold on Celty.

They finally reached the park and quickly dismounted the bike. This specific spot was where they always came when they wanted to talk for a bit. It was nice and secluded, so they would not be disturbed by other people, and it was well shaded by a pair of cherry trees. The trees in question, which erupted with gorgeous pink blossoms in spring, were now turning red and gold with the autumn season advancing quickly. Celty and Shizuo took a seat on the wooden bench, then Shizuo spoke first as he lit up a cigarette. "So Rider, what's got your suit in a twist?"

Celty typed on her PDA quickly, clicking furiously at the keys. [That damn Izaya, that's what! I've just about had it with him!]

Shizuo laughed and took a long drag from his cig. "You and me both. So what'd he do this time?"

[The job I had today was supposed to be easy, he told me, but so far it's been anything but! He gave me an envelope that was supposed to be delivered to one guy, who supposedly had something else for me to give to Izaya. But, the package was actually to be delivered to a different guy entirely, so I had to give it to that guy and just guessed that _he_ had the package for Izaya. But no! His package was for someone else, as was the one after that, and the one after that! I still haven't delivered the most recent one yet, but who knows when I'll actually get the package I'm supposed to deliver to Izaya? I honestly wish I did, this day has been driving me nuts!]

As Shizuo read the last bit of Celty's recollection of her day so far, he took another long puff of smoke and breathed it out. "Damn, sorry to hear your day's not goin' so well. I really hope it gets easier for ya."

Celty nodded as she heaved her shoulders. [Me, too. So anyway, did you get my message from before?]

Shizuo shook his head. "I haven't gotten anybody's messages today. I kinda forgot my phone at home." He scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed by his mistake.

[Oh, I see.]

"Yeah. Anyway, what did your message say?"

Celty perked up a bit when Shizuo changed the subject. Her fingers danced across the keys of her PDA as she replied, [I know where my head is!]

Shizuo coughed as the bit of smoke he was breathing out got caught in his throat. He thumped his chest a bit to try to clear it out, then replied raspily, "Really? That's great, Celty!" After fully clearing his throat, he continued, "So, where is it?"

Celty hesitated a moment at Shizuo's question, then typed slowly, [There's a catch...I'm pretty sure it's somewhere at Izaya's.]

Shizuo grit his teeth, coming dangerously close to biting into his cigarette. "You sure about that?" he asked with a prominent tone of irritation in his voice.

Celty nodded. [Yes. While I was there, I got the strongest feeling of attraction, stronger than any feeling I've had before. My head is there, I know it.] She looked to him intently, hoping he would still help her look for it now that she has revealed its potential location.

Shizuo let out a frustrated huff as he smoked the last of his cigarette, then snuffed it out. The last place he had expected it to be was at that flea's apartment, and usually he wouldn't even think about setting foot near that place. However, Celty needed his help, and he did kind of promise he would assist her in any way possible...and he always kept his promises, especially to her. Shizuo huffed again, then said, "Alright, I'll go with ya."

Celty was elated by his response. [Really? Oh, Shizuo thank you! I owe you one, big time!]

Shizuo chuckled. "Nah, ya don't. It's my pleasure, really." But in his head, he thought, "_Damn straight, you owe me! You're lucky I like you so much, Celty."_ "So, when do we start?" he asked her.

[I'm not entirely sure. We'd obviously have to wait until he goes out, but I'm not sure if he will or not. To be sure, I guess we'll have to keep an eye on him, then we'll slip in while he's gone.] Celty shuddered slightly at the thought of attempting to break into Izaya's apartment. She had no idea what kinds of security measures he took. Although, she could just check that out when she went back there with the package. Thinking of that, Celty looked at the time and saw that she only had a little bit of time left to deliver the most recent package to its recipient. She quickly stood up and said, [Well, I have to get back to work. I'll come find you when I'm finished, alright?]

Shizuo nodded once. "Yeah, sounds good. I'll wait here for ya if you want. Guess I'll see ya then."

[I guess you will. And Shizuo...] She left the message as it was for a moment, then leaned down and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. [Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.]

Shizuo smiled and hugged Celty back, replying, "It's no trouble, really. Now go, before you're late."

Celty nodded and mounted Shooter once more, then she drove eastward after waving goodbye to her friend. She wished they'd had more time to actually talk, but she had a job to do for the time being. At least her bad mood was gone now, since the thought of finally finding her head later tonight was right at the front of her mind, and stayed there for the remainder of her job. After retrieving and delivering two more packages, she finally was given the one addressed to Izaya. With the box safely secure, she took off for Shinjuku. When she arrived at Izaya's apartment, she surveyed the whole building, making sure she and Shizuo would be able to sneak in and out of the top floor without any issue. In the elevator, she drummed her fingers impatiently on the top of the box as the shaft traveled slowly upward, wanting to finish this job as soon as possible. Finally the bell dinged and the doors opened, and Celty walked across the hall and knocked on Izaya's door.

"Come in!" Izaya called from inside. Celty turned the knob and entered, slightly surprised to find it unlocked.

"_I wonder if he keeps it unlocked all the time?"_ she wonders. "_It might prove helpful if he did."_

Izaya looks up from his computer screen and grins when Celty enters. "Ah, Celty, you've returned! I was starting to get worried you weren't coming back." Celty would have rolled her eyes if she could, then approaches Izaya's desk, making sure to check for any kind of security alarm or anything that could jeopardize her plan, and hands him the package. Izaya takes it from her gratefully. "Thank you, my dear. I do hope the job wasn't too difficult for you."

Celty clenched her hands into fists, then grabbed her PDA and typed, [I was running all over the damn city delivering _other_ people's stuff! Yours wasn't even with the guy you said it was with!] She held the screen close to his face and leaned on the desk as she did so.

Izaya held up his hands defensively. "Hey, hey, it was an honest mistake! I am sorry I inconvenienced you so, and I promise it won't happen again. As for now, you're free to go. I have no more work for you to do. Until next time, Celty." The Dullahan stood up straight and let herself out, returning to the elevator.

"_'Mistake' my ass! I bet he planned that from the beginning!" _On the way down, she thought to herself, "_So Izaya keeps his door unlocked and has no kind of security system? That's so odd. But, that does make things easier for me and Shizuo." _Before she reached the bottom floor, Celty decided to text Shinra to let him know she wouldn't be home for awhile. [Hey. I'm finished with work, but I'm spending the day with Shizuo. I hope you didn't have anything planned.] The elevator doors opened just as she sent her text, and received Shinra's reply as soon as she was outside and near Shooter.

_[Sure, that's no problem. Have fun, I'll see you when you get home. Love you.]_

Celty's smoke swirled amorously beneath her helmet when she read the latter sentence, then she eagerly replied, [I love you, too. See you later.] She mounted Shooter after putting away her PDA, then took off in the direction of the park where she hoped Shizuo was still waiting for her.


	3. Chapter 3

Shizuo and Celty sit perched on the edge of the building across from Izaya's, so they could keep a better eye on him. The sun was finally going down, setting the sky ablaze with red, gold, and orange hues. In the far distance, the sky was tinted a light bluish-purple, and a waxing half moon was slowly peeking over the buildings. A chill hung in the air, but it was tolerable enough that the pair could sit and not get cold. They had been sitting on the roof for about an hour and a half by now, having gone out earlier to kill some time so they weren't spying for too long. Celty knew Izaya liked going out more often after it got dark, so she decided they would wait until then to make their move. So far Izaya has made no move to leave his apartment yet, so they would simply have to wait it out. Celty was just fine sitting there for hours on end, but Shizuo was starting to get a little impatient. He lit up a cigarette and took a nice, long drag, hoping that would calm his nerves.

Shizuo turns to Celty after exhaling the smoke. "Damn it. How long is this gonna take, Celty? This is taking forever."

Celty reaches for her PDA and types a reply, [I know, and I'm sorry. But if we're going to be successful, we need to make sure Izaya is far away from here. I just wish I knew how long he's going to take.] She felt bad making Shizuo wait with her, knowing he wasn't exactly an expert on patience, but at the same time he wanted to help her and she appreciated that. She tried thinking of new things to talk about, so he wasn't bored, but she was running low on ideas.

Suddenly, Shizuo changed the subject. "So tell me, what's Ireland like?"

Celty was pleasantly surprised by Shizuo's question. Never before had he asked anything about her homeland, and she didn't want to just start talking about it, in fear that he wouldn't be interested. Now was her chance to tell him everything, and hopefully she could do it justice, given her limited memory of the country she once called home. [Well, most of the memories of specific places are quite blurry, but from what I can actually remember and from what I've seen in my dreams, Ireland is absolutely beautiful. Rolling hills, rocky coasts near a blue-grey ocean, thick, endless forests, and green plains as far as the eye can see. It's a little chilly given its location, but on sunny days, it's wonderful and warm, much like the people. And the nights are full of magic and mystery, with so many creatures, natural and supernatural, running about. It was always my favorite part of the day.]

Shizuo smiled as he tried to imagine what Ireland was like through Celty's description, and closed his eyes at the visual he came up with. "Hm. Sounds like a helluva place. You ever think about goin' back?"

Celty sighed silently. [I have more times than I can count. However, I'm not sure if Shinra would consider going with me, since he has so many connections here. I wouldn't want to drag him away, but...I don't plan on staying here forever. I'm homesick, and I have been for a long time.]

Shizuo breathed another puff of smoke in and out, then replied, "Well, do you really _need_ him to go with you?"

Celty looked at him, exasperated. [That's a dumb question, even for you. This is my boyfriend we're talking about here! Of course I do! It wouldn't be the same without him.]

They were silent for a moment, then Shizuo spoke up once more. "Celty...can I be honest with you about something?"

[Of course! You know you can tell me anything, Shizuo. What is it?]

Shizuo took one last drag, then snuffed out his cig on the cement next to him. He proceeded to look Celty right in her surrogate face, and say, "I don't like the fact that you're with him." He had been dying to say that for the longest time, but never wanted to say it in fear of hurting her feelings. However, he could tell that the dynamics were changing between her and the doctor, so he thought it was safer to say something now. And even so, Shizuo didn't much care what either of them thought – it was his opinion and his alone.

Celty was surprised by what Shizuo had just said. She knew he didn't like Shinra very much, but she had no idea he disliked them being together. [Really? Mind if I ask why?]

The bodyguard sighed and lightly pinched the bridge of his nose. "Since you obviously haven't noticed, I'll point it out to you: Shinra's totally possessive of you. He doesn't like the fact that you never listen to him when he tells you to stop looking for your head, and sometimes I feel like he doesn't like the fact that you hang out with me, since I'm a guy who could potentially get in his way. And another thing, it may just be me, but I noticed that he tends to look at you like you're some kind of object instead of a person, and you not having a head is probably the cause of that. Shinra knows that once you have a head again, everything's gonna change. He knows that even though you may not be the same mentally or socially, you'll be different physically, and he can't stand the thought of that. Face it, he wants to keep you headless forever 'cause that's how he's always seen you."

Celty took a moment to take in Shizuo's explanation and began to think to herself. Was that really what was happening? Was Shinra really so stubborn that he would never even consider wanting to see her with her head? Was it true that he was so possessive and she was too blind to see it? Did Shinra really see Shizuo as competition? It all seemed so unreal, and yet...it made sense somehow. Everything Shinra said and did made sense now that she thought about it in depth, and Shizuo was right about everything. Celty looked down at her hands and stared at the screen of her PDA, trying to think of something, anything to type. But nothing came. She just sat there in disbelief that Shinra truly was not the man she thought he was, and it took an explanation from someone else to make her realize that. Even so, she still felt in love with him, though she supposed that was because that was all she knew how to do at this point. Finally she knew what to say.

[I feel so stupid.]

Shizuo sighed and cursed at himself, then rested a hand on Celty's shoulder. "You're not stupid. It's like they say, love is blind. Look, I feel bad for hurting your feelings like this, but I just didn't want to see you get hurt later down the road. I felt like you needed to know." He rubbed her shoulder with his thumb, and waited for a response from her.

The discouraged Dullahan glanced over to the pair of blue sunglasses looking back at her. She looked back down at her PDA to type a message, then back up to Shizuo. [I know you were just looking out for me. And honestly, you're right. I was too blinded to see it. Though now, I don't know what to do. I still have feelings for him, and I think he still feels the same way. But if he and I ever break up, you have the right to say "I told you so." Promise.]

Shizuo rolled his eyes and chuckled. "If you say so, Rider. Hey, look!" He glanced over at the building across from them and noticed the light on the top floor was out. Which meant... "Izaya's gone!"

Celty looked across to the building, then down at the street. She scanned the area to make sure Izaya was nowhere in sight, then stood up and said to Shizuo, [Let's get going, then. We need to hurry in case he comes back.] Shizuo nods in response and stands on the very edge of the roof. Since it wasn't that high a drop, and given his years of parkour skills, he jumped, then landed safely on his feet while also making sure to avoid hitting people. He looked up to Celty and held out his arms, letting her know he would catch her. Celty was nervous about jumping from such a height, but she trusted Shizuo to catch her, so she took a deep breath and jumped. She let her thoughts and vision go blank while in freefall, then came to again when she felt herself collapse into a pair of strong arms. She looks up at Shizuo, who smirks at her.

"Not so bad, right?" He chuckles and sets her on her feet, then they continue on their way. They walked swiftly across the street and up the steps of the building, then inside to the elevator. They wait inside until it reaches the top floor, then they exit to the floor where Izaya's apartment, and Celty's head, awaited. Celty stood at the door for a moment, hesitant and slightly nervous about what was about to happen. Shizuo looked over at her. "Somethin' wrong?"

[It's just...I'm nervous,] Celty replied. [I just can't believe this is finally happening after so long. I really hope I'm right.]

Shizuo patted her back encouragingly. "You said it yourself: that feeling you got was the strongest you've ever had. It's now or never."

Celty nodded and drew a deep breath, then grasped the knob, hoping it would still be unlocked like it was before. Slowly but surely, the knob turned, and they slipped silently inside. Shizuo shut the door behind him while Celty started looking. She had no idea where to start, so she decided to let her instincts take over to aid her search. "_Alright. If I were Izaya, where would I keep you?"_ She shut off her other senses for a moment and just let the head itself lead her to it. Shizuo remained near the door as Celty wandered around the room, not wanting to get in her way, but also not knowing where to search himself. As Celty neared the bookcase, the tingling sensation in her neck got stronger. "_There you are!"_ She motioned for Shizuo to join her and said to him, [Just start looking anywhere here. Tear the whole thing apart if you have to.]

Shizuo chuckled and replied, "You better watch what you ask of me. But alright, let's do this." He looked up, seeing that the bookcase extended all the way to the ceiling, then to the left and right. Even though it wasn't very high, it was quite long, since it spread across the whole wall. Shizuo sighed and started on the right side, near Izaya's desk. He wasn't sure why, but something told him to check there first. As he started taking books off the shelf, he noticed that Izaya had quite a variety of genres in his possession: mystery, religion, comedy, horror, romance, even a few children's books scattered throughout. It was an odd collection, but then again Izaya was an odd individual, so he didn't question it. Meanwhile, Celty was using an extension of her shadows to carefully remove and replace the books so they appeared to have not been disturbed. Since Shizuo was unable to do that, he simply moved the books around as carefully as he could. Knowing that these belonged to "that flea," he wanted nothing more than to tear them off the shelf and leave the remains scattered about the apartment. However, that would be counter productive to the mission, so he restrained himself for the moment.

As Shizuo got closer to the middle, he noticed a section of books that were placed on the shelf differently than the others, so he went over to investigate. Before shifting the books aside, he looked behind them closely, and could barely make out the faint glint of something metal. He lifted an eyebrow, then removed two rather thick books from their place, then a grin spread across his face, which Celty noticed. [What did you find?] she asked after approaching him.

Shizuo reached back and wrapped his fingers around a large glass jar, then pulled it out into view. "What we came for," he replied as he held the jar out to Celty. A mix of shock and happiness overcame the Dullahan as she gingerly reached out and took the jar in her shaking hands. There it was, floating in some kind of strange greenish fluid:

Her head.

A mess of cropped, mahogany hair rested upon its scalp, and even though its eyes were closed, she knew that behind the lids were two bright, aqua colored orbs. It looked as though it were sleeping, and Celty couldn't help but wonder if it actually was. She wondered if it was dreaming, and if it was, what it dreamt about.

Shizuo put the books he had removed back in their proper place, then smiled as Celty cradled the jar in her arms, and couldn't help but feel both happy that she was reunited with her head, and accomplished because he was able to help – not to mention the one who actually found the thing. He approached her slowly with his hands in his pockets, then said, "I hate to break up the reunion, but we do need to get going. Who knows when Izaya will be back?"

Celty snapped her attention to Shizuo when he spoke, then nodded. Shizuo opened the door for her, since her hands were full, then he shut the door behind him and pressed the button for the elevator. When the doors opened, the pair stepped inside, and they rode it down to the bottom. The whole time, Celty never took her eyes off of her face, hoping that maybe it would open its eyes. She held the jar close to her chest, feeling a magnetic tingle all over her body, awaiting the moment where she would be able to place it on her neck for the first time. Her thoughts remained silent, not knowing exactly what to think at this exact moment. Shizuo looked over at her and asked softly, "So, how ya feelin'?"

Celty was drawn out of her trance once more, then carefully grabbed her PDA out of her pocket. [Indescribable. It's hard to believe that after 20 years, I finally have my head in my hands again. And I have you to thank, Shizuo. You are such an amazing friend for helping me look for it, and there is no way that I could ever repay you for this.]

Shizuo smirked and adjusted his sunglasses. "It was nothin', really. But still, you're welcome. I was glad I could help." He looked up at the floor display above the elevator door and noticed they were a few floors away from the bottom now, then he looked back to Celty. "Y'know, you might wanna hide that somehow. People might get a little freaked if they see you carrying a head in a jar around." The thought of that amused him, and he almost wished he hadn't said something so he could see people's reactions. But then again, most people's reaction to something like that is fear, which usually meant screaming, which irritated him to no end, so he quickly took the thought back.

[Oh gosh, you're right. That would probably be best.] After taking one last look at her sleeping face, Celty constructed a bag around the jar, then hung the bag over her shoulder just in time for the doors to open to the first floor. She and Shizuo exited the building, then Shizuo had a thought:

"How are you gonna get Shooter back down here?"

Celty waved her hand at him dismissively and replied, [Just stay here a minute. I'll be right back.] She briskly walked across the road to the building where they were before, then used her shadows to lift her up to the roof. Once she rejoined with Shooter, she used the same platform to bring her back down to the ground. She beckoned for Shizuo to join her, which he did, then she patted the seat behind her, silently telling him to take a seat. He chuckled and shook his head, then took his usual place behind her and placed his hands on her hips. With the rev of an engine followed by a haunting whinny, the couple took off for Ikebukuro.

Their spot in the park was even more peaceful after dark. There were strings of little white lights in all of the trees, which mixed with the warm glow of the street lamps. This caused the whole park to shine, which really was a wonderful sight. A greater sense of peace was added with the fact that only the occasional young couple or harmless gang member ever passed through at night, so they were virtually alone. As Shizuo and Celty sat on the bench, Celty continued to stare down at her head, which was still nestled safely within the bag she had made. It wasn't long before Shizuo asked, "So what now? What's gonna happen now that you have your head back?"

Celty thought for a moment, then replied, [Honestly, I don't know. I mean, there's nothing I would rather do than to attach my head right here and now, but...I'd feel better doing so after I tell Shinra the news.]

Shizuo heaved an exasperated sigh. "Seriously? After everything I said earlier, you're gonna go back to that loser? How do you know he's not gonna totally flip out over this?"

[I don't, but I'd rather have him know that I have it than just show up with my head on my neck and risk him freaking out over that. I just want to make him see that me having my head isn't going to change anything. I just need to try. And for the record, I really did hear everything you were trying to tell me before, but I still love him, Shizuo. I need to make things work between me and him.]

Shizuo felt heartbroken. He thought that maybe if he made Celty see why Shinra was such a bad guy for her, she would realize that Shizuo was better and they could finally be together. Because he really thought that she felt the same way for him somehow. But now, he was confused. He looked down at the ground and asked Celty, "Tell me somethin', how do you feel about me? And tell the truth."

Celty hadn't been expecting that question at all. Shizuo was never one to talk about feelings – his own or anyone else's – so where was this coming from? She had to think about her answer long and hard, because in all honestly, she didn't know exactly how she felt about him, aside from him being a close friend. Perhaps she would just have to go with that. [Honestly, I'm not completely sure. I do think you're a dear friend, but you already know that. Other than that, I really don't know.]

"Yeah, right," Shizuo scoffed. "There's more to it than that, and you know it."

[Well what the hell do you want me to say? "Shizuo, I'm in love with you"?]

"Well that depends, are you?" He peeked at her from over the rims of his glasses and smirked slightly. He could tell he was breaking through to her, but he wasn't sure how long it would take before she fully admitted it.

Celty became flustered. She typed, backspaced, retyped, and backspaced again, trying to think of a way to say what was on her mind, but without hurting Shizuo in the process. Finally it came to her. [I'll put it this way: I do love you, but I'm not _in_ love with you. You're very dear to me, but I don't have any romantic feelings toward you.] Of course, she was lying right to his face, but she didn't dare tell him about the fantasy she had about him in the shower that morning. [Does that make sense?] she added.

Shizuo read through the text on the screen, then chuckled softly. "Yeah, I guess it does. Well, I guess I won't pester you about it anymore. Sorry about puttin' you on the spot like that, it's just...you confuse me, Celty. I sometimes think you feel one way about me, but then I end up being wrong and look like an idiot. I just needed to clear things up."

[I understand,] she replied, [and I'm sorry if I ever led you on. That was never my intention.]

"I know." He glanced in the upper corner of Celty's screen and noticed the time. "It's getting late. You should probably head home so Shinra doesn't worry."

Celty sighed. [I guess you're right. I can drop you off at home, if you want.]

Shizuo cracked a tiny smile and nodded. "Sure. Thanks." They both mount Shooter again, then drive down the street in the direction of Shizuo's apartment.

The air felt cold and bitter as Celty drives along the usual route. She was hating herself for not telling Shizuo the whole truth, but she felt that if she did, it would complicate things between the two of them. She had a feeling Shizuo had deeper feelings for her than he was letting on; she could tell by the way he looked at her sometimes, the slight look of longing in his eye, the soft smile that graced his lips whenever she was near, the way he always wanted to be closer to her physically. If circumstances were different – if she were not so deeply in love with Shinra – then perhaps there could be something more between them. But for now, they could only be friends and nothing more. Shizuo knew that, too, but he never wanted to admit he could never fully have her. He wrapped his arms around her, slowly and only a little at first, then continued when she didn't protest. Shizuo held Celty close to him and closed his eyes, wishing they could stay this way forever. He never wanted to let her go. He wanted her to stay with him. He wanted her to be _his._ His heart was breaking, he could feel it; and it pissed him off to no end.

When Celty pulled up to the curb, they sat there for a moment in silence, not wanting to move, then Shizuo released Celty and slid off the end of the bike. He turned to her before going inside and said, "Text me when you get home, will ya? I wanna make sure you're there safely."

Celty nodded. [Of course,] she replied. [And Shizuo, thanks again. I really appreciate what you did for me.]

The blonde nodded in response. "Sure thing. Anything for you. Well, see you around, Rider." Celty tucked her PDA back into her pocket and waved goodbye, then pulled away from the curb and sped off for home. Once she was out of his sights, Shizuo grit his teeth and grabbed the metal garbage can that was next to him, then chucked it as hard as he could in the opposite direction of where Celty just drove off, not even caring what he potentially hit. "DAMN IIIIIT!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. He was so angry at himself for letting himself think that telling Celty the truth about Shinra would change her mind about how she felt about him. He was a damn, fucking idiot for thinking such a thing and he knew it. After calming down a bit, Shizuo retreated inside, away from the cold, and locked himself in his apartment for the night. As he removed his clothes and tossed them in the hamper across from his bed, Shizuo remembered that he still had Celty's note still tucked in his vest pocket from earlier. He removed it and unfolded it, then read it over several times. He could feel heat rising in his face, and he hit the wall next to him with the side of his fist. "Why the fuck does love have to hurt to goddamn much?" he sneered. "I wish I'd never fucking bothered in the first place." Shizuo then heard his phone vibrate next to him. It was still on his night stand, since he had forgotten it there this morning. He opened it up to see that he had a text message from Celty.

_[I made it home. Have a good night. I'll text you tomorrow.]_

Shizuo stared at the screen, then replied back, [You, too. See you tomorrow. I love – ] He quickly backspaced the last two words, then sent the message. He slammed the phone down on the night stand, then rolled over with Celty's hand-written note in his hand, hoping he would fall asleep quickly and forget about today.

Celty arrived at her apartment just in time for the text from Shizuo to arrive. She read it quickly, then entered the apartment where Shinra was sitting on the couch watching TV. "Hey, Celty!" he greeted her, to which she waved back weakly. He then noticed the bag over her shoulder. "What's with the bag?"

Celty decided she didn't want to tell him right away about her head. She'd had enough emotional stress for one day, so instead she replied, [It's not important, don't worry about it.]

Shinra stood up and approached her slowly. "Is everything okay? You seem sorta down."

Celty shrugged. [I'm fine, just tired. I was actually going to go right to bed.]

"Oh...well, alright then. Have a good rest. Good night." He kissed her hand, then she pulled him in for a brief hug.

[Good night, Shinra.] With that, Celty secluded herself in her room and put her pink pajamas on, then made the shadow bag disappear, leaving only the jar containing her head sitting on the floor. Once she had gotten herself comfortable under the covers of her bed, she opened the jar. The top untwisted with a slight hiss, then placed it aside once it was off. Celty reached into the cold, green fluid, and slowly took her head out into the open. Her hands began to shake again, and she could feel a magnetic tingle throughout her whole body, as if the head was begging her to rest it on her neck. "_I really want to, so badly. But...what would Shinra think? If he saw me with a head, a face, would he accept it? Or would he push me away?"_ She decided that those were questions left unanswered until tomorrow, so she placed her head back in the jar and resealed it. The Dullahan took the jar in her arms and made sure it was completely covered by the blanket, so that Shinra didn't see it if he happened to come in.

It was so odd, even though Celty felt absolutely elated to have her head back in her possession, she felt the exact opposite for what had happened with Shizuo before she left. Perhaps tomorrow would be better. At least, that was what she hoped.

In her dream, she saw herself as a whole being again, with her head set in its rightful place. She stood in a thick forest in Ireland, and in the distance she could see that she wasn't alone. Another figure stood across from her; a tall figure with blonde hair and broad shoulders, brown eyes and a loving, peaceful smile. Celty smiled and took the man into her arms, and they shared a long, passionate kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

**Warning! **_Chapter contains lemon! Not for innocent eyes. ;)_

* * *

The next day proved to be just as good as Celty had hoped. She had gotten to spend the whole day with Shinra and she couldn't have been happier. It was just what she needed: a day alone with the man she loved. Of course, she was still struggling with trying to tell him about having her head, but she had a plan. She was going to make him a nice, romantic dinner, then while he was sated and in a good mood, she would tell him. Celty was so confident that it was going to be foolproof; she could see nothing going wrong...except for maybe Shinra not being happy about the news. But, that was a risk she was willing to take.

At around 6 o'clock, Celty and Shinra were snuggling on the large, white sofa, watching a movie. It was nearing the end, so Celty decided to put her plan into action now. She looked over at Shinra and asked, [Hey, are you hungry?]

As if on cue, Shinra's stomach let out a soft gurgle. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck slightly. "I suppose I am. Why do you ask?"

[I wanted to cook you dinner,] she replied. [And this time I promise not to spoil it halfway through you eating it.] The last time Celty had cooked for Shinra, he became so overwhelmed with joy at how good the food was that he started to cry, however Celty interpreted it as him hating it. So, not wanting to "force" him to eat it anymore, Celty trapped all of the food she had cooked in a ball of her shadow-stuff. Shinra was disappointed, of course, since her cooking really was fantastic. So now, hearing – rather, reading – that she wanted to cook for him again made him extremely happy.

He hugged Celty tightly and rocked back and forth. "Oh Celty, my honey, that sounds wonderful! I would be so happy if you cooked for me again!"

Celty pushed Shinra back a bit, then replied, [Great! What are you in the mood for?]

He thought for a moment, then answered, "Hmm...how about chicken stir-fry with vegetables? I haven't had that in a long time."

[Sure! I'll just need to run to the store quickly to grab a few things. Will that be alright?]

"Of course. In fact, I might just vacuum while you're out. I've been meaning to for awhile, but never got around to it."

[I see. Well, I should get going so I can get cooking as soon as I get back.] Celty stood up and retrieved her helmet from her room, briefly glancing to the far corner where she had stashed her head behind a pile of her clothes, then walked back out to the living room and slipped her feet into her boots, which were by the door. [I'll be back soon. Would you mind getting the big pan and some oil out for me?]

Shinra joined her over by the door and took her hand. "Of course. I'll even look up a good recipe for you, if you'd like."

[No, it's alright. I'll look one up on my PDA, that way I have it right there.]

"Alright, if you're sure," Shinra said, shrugging. "I'll see you when you get back."

[I love you.]

"I love you, too."

Celty rode down the elevator with Shooter, then drove in the direction of the grocery store once she reached the street. Once she got there, she chuckled silently to herself as she watched people's reactions to her presence. Some found it frightening seeing the Black Rider out in public, others found it strange and amusing seeing her at the grocery store, of all places. Celty ignored them, and kept to her task. After finding a good recipe online, she went up and down the aisles of the store and picked up chicken breast, soy sauce, and various vegetables including mushrooms, red peppers, and snap peas. Once she had found everything she was looking for, Celty paid for her items, then headed back home.

Meanwhile, back at the apartment, Shinra had the vacuum out and was steering it over the floor. He tried to do it as quickly as he could, so that he didn't interrupt Celty as she was cooking. He reached the hallway and at first, he passed right by Celty's bedroom. Then as he came back, he decided to do a quick once-over in her room, just to make sure he cleaned everywhere in the apartment. Shinra turned on the light upon entering, and moved swiftly through the room with the vacuum. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something tucked in the corner behind some of Celty's clothes. The first thing he saw was a large, metal lid for a jar of some kind.

_A jar...like the one that..._

Shinra was usually never one to snoop around, especially through Celty's things, but he just had to know what it was she was trying to hide. After shutting off the vacuum, he pushed the clothes aside, then fell into utter shock at seeing the last thing he would expect to find in Celty's room, let alone his apartment. He picked up the jar and stared at the head for a good, long while. He was in complete disbelief at what he held in his hands. How long had she had this? How long had she been hiding this from him? Why didn't she tell him? Shinra began to grow angry as he continued to stare at Celty's head. Granted he had seen it before, but he never thought he would see it again. The first thing that ran through his mind was, "_I have to get rid of this. I can't lose her. I just can't."_ However, as soon as he put his hand on the lid, he heard the jingle of keys and the front door open. Celty was home, and he supposed now was as good a time as any to speak with her about this.

Celty walked in the door and put the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. She looked around for Shinra, but he was nowhere to be found. As she walked across the floor toward the living room, she noticed her bedroom light was on, and her door was open. Which meant Shinra was in there...which possibly meant... "_Oh shit!"_ She darted to her room to find Shinra kneeling in the corner with something in his hands. Celty froze in place, terrified of what was going to happen next.

Shinra heard her approach, and he lifted his head up when she stopped in the door. "How could you?" he asked without looking at her. He was hurt beyond reason right now, and it showed in his voice. His tone was low, full of betrayal and remorse.

Celty began to shake with fear. Her plan had failed, and now she expected the worst to happen. She could tell Shinra was upset – no, beyond upset. He was _furious_. She slowly approached him and tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but he quickly moved away. Celty sighed, then typed out, [I was going to tell you tonight, I promise. I was just waiting for the right time.]

Shinra glanced over to read what was on the screen, then said, "Is that why you wanted to make me dinner? To butter me up before breaking the news to me?"

Celty paused, then decided just to answer honestly, since everything was out in the open now. [Basically, yes. I knew you would be upset if I told you straight out, so I wanted to soften the blow a bit. I really didn't want to hurt you, Shinra. I thought that it was the only way you'd listen.]

The doctor chuckled coldly and shook his head. "Oh, Celty. You should have known that no matter how you decided to tell me, I'd end up getting hurt." He rested the jar back on the floor and slowly rose to his feet. Shinra, with a blank expression on his face, looked at Celty and asked her, "So. How long have you had it?"

[Only since last night. Shizuo and I went to Izaya's apartment to get it, since that was where it was.]

"So that's what was in the bag?" Celty nodded. "I see." Shinra moved past her, not looking her in the face again, and went to put the vacuum away.

Celty followed close behind him, trying to make him see reason. [Shinra listen, this doesn't have to change anything! I don't have to put my head back on my neck! I can stay the way you want me to, and everything will be fine!]

Shinra turned around and read the message, then sighed and shook his head. "True, but then you'd just be trying to make _me_ happy. I would want you to be happy, too, but if that happens, I'll be _un_happy. So no matter what happens, one of wins, and one of us loses."

Celty was angered by Shinra's words. [Is that so? Tell me Shinra, what would be so bad about me having a head on my shoulders, huh? Is the idea of it really that horrible to you?]

"It's more complicated than that, Celty. I mean, I'm sure I could get used to seeing a head on your shoulders, and over time, perhaps grow to like it. But I'm more worried about the possibility of having your memories back changing the way you are. I'm afraid that you won't be the same Celty anymore."

[And you're not willing to take that risk?! What if I don't change at all? What if I stay exactly the same? We'll never know unless we try it!]

"I know that, but I would really just not bother."

Celty's hands shook more violently as she was filled with more anger. The smoke rising from her neck began to thicken and seep out from her helmet. She realized in that moment that Shizuo was right. What he had said about Shinra last night was true. [I can't believe what I'm hearing! How could you say something like that! I thought you loved me!]

"I do, but I love you as you are _now,_ headless and mysterious."

[Wow. You're just as shallow as Shizuo said you were.]

That one got Shinra's attention. A scowl crossed his face as he asked, "He said that?"

Celty nodded firmly. [Yes, he did. And he also said that you weren't the right guy for me, and I'm starting to see that he was right!]

"Oh, _I'm_ not the right guy?! And I suppose _he_ thinks he is?!"

[Maybe he does! And maybe I do, too! At least he accepts me for who I am! AND he supported me in looking for my head, more than YOU ever did!]

"Then maybe you should go live with _him_ instead, if that's how you feel!"

[You know what? Maybe I will, because I am DONE HERE!]

Celty stormed back into her room and quickly packed her few belongings in a large bag she constructed, making sure to take everything: her clothes, her bed things, and especially her head. Any pictures of her and Shinra, however, she left behind. She was finished with him, and didn't want anything more to do with him. Once all of her things were packed, Celty walked back out to the living room to say farewell to her – now ex – boyfriend. [I'm not coming back. If you can't accept me, all of me, then we can't be together. I'm sorry it had to end this way.] She handed him her key, which he clasped in his hand.

"Yeah," Shinra replied, "I am, too. Will I see you again, Celty?"

The Dullahan shrugged her shoulders. [Maybe, once things cool down between us. For now, I think it's best we go our separate ways. Goodbye, Shinra. And thank you for everything.]

Shinra cracked a small smile and nodded. "You're welcome. Farewell, Celty."

Celty then turned to the door and closed it behind her for what she hoped was the last time. Shinra wandered over to the sofa and collapsed, feeling exhausted both physically and emotionally from that argument. His eyes then caught a glimpse of the grocery bag on the counter. The doctor chuckled softly, then said out loud, "Damn. I'm still hungry."

The heartbroken Dullahan reached Shizuo's apartment in nearly half the time as usual. She was still so furious with herself for thinking that things could have worked out with Shinra, and also furious with him for being so narrow-minded about her and her head. Shizuo had been right all along, but she had been too stubborn to accept it. Now she had to keep her promise to him – since she and Shinra were no more, Shizuo would get to say "I told you so."

Shizuo poked his head out from his room when he heard a knock at his door. He wasn't used to getting visitors; however, he knew that only one person in all of Ikebukuro would be coming to his apartment at this time. He strode to the door and opened it, and sure enough, it was Celty...carrying a bag over her shoulder? Shizuo tilted his head upon seeing this. "What's with the bag?"

Celty did not meet the brown eyes looking down at her. She knew how he would react when she told him the news. So, keeping her head down, she answered, [Shinra and I broke up.] When he did not respond, she added, [Can I stay here?]

Shizuo sighed when Celty answered his question. He knew that it was coming, however he was not expecting it so soon. When she asked if she could stay the night, he chuckled softly and replied, "Well, where else would ya stay?" he moved to the side to let her pass, then shut the door once she was inside.

When Celty entered the small apartment, she kicked off her shoes and gently dropped her bag to the floor, then typed only two words: [Say it.]

Shizuo instantly knew what she meant. She was expecting the "I told you so." He knew he wanted to say it, but seeing Celty as she was, he knew that now was not a good time. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and said his own two words: "I'm sorry."

Celty struggled against him for a moment, wanting to argue that those were not the words she was expecting. As she squirmed, Shizuo only held her tighter. Celty knew that her fighting was useless, so she just gave up, threw her arms around him, and silently sobbed into his chest. As she let go of her sorrows of the evening, she quickly discovered that she actually felt better by doing so. Celty had expected having her heart broken to hurt so much more, but it actually seemed...tolerable. Perhaps it was because Shizuo was there to hold and console her.

A few minutes go by and Celty's shoulders cease their shaking, and her breathing slows to a steady pace. When she becomes completely still, Shizuo looks down at her and asks, "You alright now?"

She nods in response. [Yeah, I think so. It's funny, I thought heartbreak was supposed to feel like a big, gaping hole in your chest, but I don't feel it at all. I still feel together somehow.]

Shizuo shrugs and moves over toward the couch, then waits for Celty to follow. "I dunno what to tell ya." After removing her helmet and resting it with her bag, Celty joins him and they sit on the sofa, side by side. Once they were settled down, the first thing Celty does is lean against Shizuo's shoulder, which he hadn't been expecting. He chuckles nervously. "Heh, whatcha doin'?"

Celty looks up at him and replies, [Just...thanks for letting me get that out. I guess I was more upset about the whole thing than I thought.]

"Well, that's to be expected. You kinda just broke up with the guy. And you said it yourself, you _did _love him."

[Yeah. _DID._ I feel nothing more for him. And if it's alright, I'd rather not talk about him anymore.]

Shizuo nods in understanding. "Sure. I imagine it's uncomfortable for you. So, what should we talk about?"

Celty shrugged. [Anything, I guess.] She thought for a moment, then asked, [How was your day?]

"Uneventful," Shizuo replied, shrugging. "Though, can I confess somethin'?"

[What is it?]

A light blush dusted the blonde's cheeks. "I missed you today. After last night, I got worried you didn't wanna talk to me. I thought maybe all my talk about your feelings toward me scared you off."

With all the events of today, Celty had almost forgotten what they had talked about last night. She sat up straight so she could look at Shizuo directly, then said, [Now it's my turn to confess something.]...[I wasn't completely honest with you last night. Remember when I told you I didn't think of you in a romantic way? Well...it's actually the opposite. As of recently, I've been thinking of you as more than just a friend. Much more. I'm sure it's because of everything you've done for me, especially supporting me in my head search. Because of that, I thought that maybe there could be hope for you and me. But with Shinra in the way, I got discouraged because I knew that as long as I was with him, you and I could never be more than friends. But now...] She backspaced, redirecting her thoughts before she got too presumptuous. [Shizuo, how do you see me? I know there has to be a reason you act differently around me than you do everyone else.]

Shizuo's blush deepened to more of a red, then he sighed and said, "You really wanna know?"

[More than anything.]

Shizuo sighed again, then closed his eyes and removed his sunglasses. Then, without any thoughts or regrets, he pulls Celty close and kisses her, right at the top of her neck where the black smoke curled forth. He was a little upset that Celty didn't have lips, because there was nothing he wanted to do more than press his lips to hers. However, he would have to make do for the time being. When Shizuo kissed her, Celty felt a jolt pass through her body like electricity. The act was so sudden, and also so unlike him. However, the feeling was strangely calming at the same time. To have Shizuo so close to her like this filled her with pure bliss. It felt so good, so right – as if this were meant to be. He held her there for a moment, then released her. A smile crossed his lips when he saw that the wisps of smoke around her neck were now thick clouds, which he assumed was her special way of blushing.

Celty stared at Shizuo for a long moment while she gathered her thoughts. When her mind felt less clouded and her smoke had calmed a bit, she went for her PDA. [So...that's how you really feel?]

Shizuo chuckled and took a hold of her free hand. It felt cool compared to his, his body still a bit heated from the blushing. He looked right at her, allowing his guard to drop and his true feelings show for the first time in his adult life. "Yeah. I'm gonna be straightforward with this...I love you, Celty. I have for a while, but for obvious reasons, I could never tell you. It's been killin' me everyday, and it sucked. But, if you'll have me, I think we can be more than...well, whatever we are now."

Celty kept her gaze on Shizuo the whole time he spoke. She couldn't believe it, he was in _love_ with her! He actually said it right off the bat! Of course, nothing would make her happier than to move their current relationship to the next level, but something inside her was dying for something more at this moment. The look in his eyes and on his face was so different from what she was used to seeing, and then her thoughts wandered back to her fantasy the previous morning. Though she could not imagine his face then, she was almost certain he would have worn a similar expression then. Thinking back to that moment, she felt all of the emotions and sensations from then return to her. Had Celty's head been attached by now, she would have leaned forward and return Shizuo's kiss, certain that it would have been enough to convey her desires. However, given the circumstances, she would have to rely on good, old-fashioned body language. Putting her PDA aside, she moved closer to him and laced their fingers together, then ran the fingers of her free hand up his thigh slowly. Celty hoped that Shizuo wasn't one to be slow to romantic advances, because if he was, she was going to have to take matters into her own hands.

Shizuo noticed that Celty's behavior was beginning to change. He wondered if it was because of what he said, or if she had her own motives behind it. Feeling her fingers on his leg, he felt the heat in his face return, twofold. Her touch was slow, deliberate...intimate. He gazed down at the Dullahan's body, at that tight, black catsuit that clung to every one of her curves and displayed her flawless body. Shizuo smirked and said to her, "Y'know, that suit of yours tends to leave little to the imagination. If you ask me, it's just in the way."

Celty knew he was right. At the rate things were going, she figured it would be off in a matter of time anyway. So, not bothering to type a reply, Celty led Shizuo's hand to the zipper of her suit so that he could do as he pleased. He smirked when she did so, then he took the zipper between his fingers and slowly tugged on it, hearing each individual click as it split the front of her suit open and exposed her chest. The first thing he noticed was that Celty had no bra on underneath what she was wearing. He supposed she didn't really need one, but he wasn't exactly focused on that right now. When Shizuo pulled the zipper down the rest of the way, he bit his lip as his hand found its way inside the strange black material and slipped it off her shoulder. He did the same with the other side, and soon both of Celty's breasts were exposed before him. They were just as he had imagined them: round, perky, and beautiful. Before proceeding with his own work, Shizuo took Celty's hands in his own and pulled them to the collar of his shirt.

"Your turn now," he said, smirking.

Celty expected to be more nervous than she was now, but oddly she wasn't. Her hands remained steady as she unfastened his bowtie, and as they unhooked every button on his vest. As she undid the buttons of his shirt however, she began to tremble anxiously as more and more of his toned, broad chest became exposed. When no buttons remained, she ran a hand across his chest and down part of his stomach, feeling his skin beneath her fingertips. It was just as smooth and warm as she had imagined, and she knew she had to have more. Seeing her excitement, Shizuo shifted his shoulders so that his arms slipped out of the shirt, leaving his own upper body exposed. He smiled as he pulled Celty close to him and pressed their half naked bodies together. His warmth mixed with her coolness almost harmoniously. He leaned down to kiss her neck again, this time playing with it a bit more. His tongue trailed along her skin, and his lips would sometimes close around a spot so he could lightly suck and nip playfully at it. It was strange, he had very little experience being with a woman, and yet he knew exactly what to do. He allowed his body and instincts to do all the work, and tried to not put too much thought into it.

Shizuo wrapped his arms around Celty's back and let his hands rub all over her back, taking in the feel of her soft, cool flesh. The Dullahan could feel herself panting slightly, though it made no sound, and she was sure her heart would be pounding if it could beat at all. All of these things – these human things – that happened during intimacy did not happen with her...except of course, for one. She could feel a wetness developing below her, along with a warm tingle that seemed to spread throughout her body. She held onto Shizuo tightly as he licked and sucked at her neck, and shifted her leg so she could wrap it around his waist, along with the one that already hung off the side of the couch. As she did so, Shizuo slid one of his hands down her side to rest it on her hip, the hip that he held in his hand so often whenever they got on her bike. It was his favorite place to hold her; the soft curve of her body just fit so perfectly in his hand. Shizuo laid Celty down across the sofa cushions as he pulled the bottom half of her riding suit down. Celty arched her back and lifted her butt slightly to allow him to remove it, which he promptly did. As it peeled from her legs, Shizuo let out a disappointed huff.

"Damn. I was hopin' you'd be completely naked under this." He tossed her suit to the floor, then hooked his thumbs into the sides of the grey panties he found underneath it. "Oh well. Easy fix." He looked down at Celty with a devilish, crooked smirk, which made Celty completely melt, then with another lift of her butt from the cushion, the panties were soon off and on the floor as well. Shizuo looked up and down her naked form for a good while, struck with pure awe at how beautiful she was. "God...I knew you were gorgeous, but I wasn't expecting _this._"

Celty reached for her PDA, which had ended up near her left shoulder, then quickly typed, [You really think I'm beautiful?]

Shizuo chuckled, then leaned down to kiss her neck again. "Yeah. I really do," he replied in a deep, breathy voice. "More than anything in the world." After kissing her neck a little more, he continued downward to her chest. His hands found their way to her breasts, which he proceeded to squeeze and rub as he pleased. As he grazed over her nipples with his thumbs, Celty silently gasped and her body twitched slightly. He smirked, then wrapped his lips around one of the soft, pink mounds and began to suck on it, gently at first, then more intensely as Celty egged him on. Her hands wandered to his head and her fingers weaved themselves in his bleach-blonde locks, tugging them lightly as his tongue played with her sensitive, now erect, nipples. And speaking of erect...

Shizuo could feel his pants tightening as his member hardened the more he pleasured Celty. Though he couldn't hear her sighs or moans, he could tell just from her body that she was receiving pleasure from his actions. However, he was getting to the point where he could barely resist her naked body calling out to him. He had to have her, and he just knew she felt the same way. So after giving her other breast a bit of attention, Shizuo got up off the couch and unhooked his belt. Celty promptly sat up from her current position and practically demanded she take over, unfastening the button and zipper of his black dress pants. She pulled them and his boxers down both at once, then let them fall to the floor.

Upon seeing Shizuo's member for the first time, Celty became very aroused. It was both long and thick...just as she had imagined it to be. Perhaps it had been wishful thinking then, but in this moment she was glad she had been right. She shivered with excitement at the thought of having it inside of her, and she could feel herself getting wetter. Shizuo looked down at her and smirked. "Like whatcha see?" he asked. In response, Celty took Shizuo's stiff cock in her right hand and began to stroke it lightly. He shivered and hissed a little at the coldness of her touch, which made her retract her hand. She looked up at him, thinking she had done something wrong. He looked down at her again, a crooked smirk still curling his lips, and said, "Who said you could stop?" He chuckled low in his throat and leaned his hips forward, encouraging her to continue. Celty took his member in her soft, cool hand once more, a little tighter this time, and stroked up and down the shaft. Shizuo closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh, becoming lost in her touch. All of this was new for him – being with a woman, sexually – and he was loving every second of it. Naturally, being human, he has urges that need to be satisfied every now and again, so the sensations weren't all that strange. However, having someone else take control somehow made it...better; more intense. There was no way he would ever be able to describe how good this felt, to himself or to the woman giving him such pleasure. After another minute or so, he felt himself getting a little too close to finishing than he would like, so he needed to stop Celty before she continued. He rested his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "Celty...wait," he said between breaths. "As great as that feels, could you stop?"

Celty released her grip from Shizuo's member and reached behind her for her PDA. [Why? Is something the matter?]

Shizuo shook his head. "Nah, it's not that. It's just..." He leaned forward and slipped his hand between her legs, feeling her wetness. "...I was thinkin' maybe I could get in here now." He whispered this right where her ear would be.

Celty gasped and felt herself get wetter, finding Shizuo's low, husky voice to be extremely alluring and sexy. Her hands shaking slightly from excitement, she responded. [Of course. How do you want me?] Of course, if she had been speaking rather than typing, that sentence would have come out sounding more separated and full of "um"s.

Shizuo smirked devilishly and bit his lip. He had planned out in his head exactly how he wanted his first time to be, and now he could finally make it a reality with the woman he loved most. Still keeping his voice low and soft, he said, "Kneel on the floor, facing the couch. Put down a cushion if it'll be rough on your knees."

Growing more anxious, Celty's hips began to squirm, which in turn made her entrance rub against Shizuo's fingers, which were still between her legs. [I'll be fine,] was all she said in response. With that, she rested her PDA aside and slid off the cushion, getting onto the floor on her knees. Shizuo stood back a little as she did this, kicking his pants aside, then took in the nice view he had of Celty's ass. When she caught him staring, she arched her back, causing her ass to lift up and her wet, pink womanhood to come into view. She reached for her PDA one last time to type, [Like what you see?]

Shizuo chuckled and shook his head, then knelt down behind Celty. "Very much," he whispered. His large hands rested on her hips and ran up her sides, then wandered to the front of her body and found her breasts to squeeze and play with. Celty sighed to herself, and she pictured herself smiling. Aside from location and position, this is exactly what she had imagined in the shower yesterday morning: Shizuo, naked, running his hands all over her equally naked body. It was warm and muscular, just as she'd always pictured it. As Shizuo's hands continued to explore her body, he pressed his chest to her back and held her close to him. "Celty..." he whispered against her skin. He kissed and lightly licked her neck as his cock lightly grazed her entrance. He chuckled lowly when he felt how wet she was. "You're really ready for me, aren't ya?" He could almost hear her whimper with anticipation when he asked. The blonde chuckled again and straightened his posture, then gripped the base of his hardened member to line it up with her entrance. Then, little by little, he slid into her. He gasped softly at the new feeling of tight wetness, then pressed in farther, making sure to do so slowly so he didn't hurt her. There was a slight resistance, indicating that this was her first time as well. Shizuo couldn't help but smile to himself, knowing that he was the one Celty chose to give her virginity to.

Celty flinched slightly at the penetration. She knew there would be a little bit of pain from the first time, but it was nowhere near as bad as she thought it was going to be, even with Shizuo being as big as he was. The pain passed quickly, however, and she was able to relax...but only for a second. Once Shizuo was sure he was in a ways, he quickly thrust the rest of the way inside her. A surge of pleasure shot through them both, and they remained still for a moment, taking in the adrenaline of the moment. When the rush had just about subsided, Shizuo pulled back a little, then snapped his hips forward again, and repeated this a few times to get Celty's tight walls to loosen up a bit. Once he felt himself able to move around a little easier, he began to rock his hips at a slow, steady pace, wanting to enjoy the feeling of being this close to her for as long as he could. He gripped her trim waist and leaned close to her again. Even though her skin felt cool, her body felt very warm. Perhaps it was just the proximity of their bodies, or it could have been for an entirely different reason. Either way, she felt warm to him all over, and it was a beautiful feeling to savor.

Celty's own thoughts were racing. Never before had she felt this good, and it was not just for the obvious reason. She felt whole, happy, and she had only Shizuo to thank. Shinra never even made her feel this way before, which was odd because she had been dating the guy. Shizuo was the only guy – the only _man_ – she wanted to be with now, and she knew he felt the same about her. Why else would they be having sex right now?

No. This wasn't just sex. It was more passionate, more emotional. There was substance to it, not just sensations and movement. They were making love, which could only truly be done when two people cared about each other as much as they did.

Celty wished so badly that she had reattached her head before this, however. She wanted to be able to sigh, moan, whisper his name. She wanted Shizuo to be able to hear how much pleasure he was bringing her. She knew there would be other opportunities to do so after this, so she didn't let it bother her too badly. But, the first time was always supposed to be special. Although, it _was_ special in its own way.

Shizuo could sense that Celty was becoming distracted. He didn't know by what, nor did he really care. He wanted her to only focus on them being together and getting as much pleasure from it as she could, like he was. He reckoned now was a good time to help her along. He slid his hands around to her breasts again, and played with them like he was before. His fingers rubbed her nipples in small, concentrated circles, and every now and again they pinched them playfully. This obviously got Celty's attention, because her back arched back ever so slightly and her hips began to move along with his. Shizuo smirked and leaned down to kiss and nibble her shoulder, his hips never ceasing movement. When he leaned forward, his cock moved deeper within her tight womanhood and caused more pleasure for the both of them. They both moaned, though Shizuo's was audible and Celty's was in silence. He began to thrust his hips a bit faster and harder, wanting to fully take advantage of the new angle. Celty could feel her breathing pick up and she moaned within her own mind when she felt Shizuo hit her G-spot. She could feel the pleasure building more and more with every move he made, and she wanted more. Taking one of his hands in her own, she slid it down the length of her torso to her crotch, then guided his index and middle fingers to her clitoris. Shizuo smirked at the Dullahan's actions. Shooing her hand away, he licked his fingertips, then returned them to her clit. He rubbed it in slow, small circles, while his other hand did the same to her nipple. As he felt an old, familiar pressure begin to build within him, Shizuo thrust deeper and harder inside Celty's tight, wet womanhood.

It was almost too much for Celty to bear. Her thoughts became clouded now, and she was certain her heart would be pounding in her nonexistent ears. She moaned with pleasure with every breath she took, and grinded her hips to match Shizuo's pace. Her nails dug into the couch as she could feel her climax approaching quickly.

Shizuo held himself close to Celty as he rubbed her clit faster. His breathing came fast and shallow and his heart was racing. Beads of sweat coated his skin and a few trickled down his face. He grit his teeth and gasped when he felt Celty's walls tightening even more around his cock, and he pounded faster into her until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Celty...I...I'm cumming," he breathed.

"_Me, too...Shizuo,"_ Celty replied, even though she knew he couldn't hear her.

The pressure building within them finally released in a wave of pure passion and pleasure. Shizuo panted heavily as he spilled his seed into her, and Celty cried out in silent ecstasy as the hot, wet walls of her womanhood contracted around his member. She arched her back and her nails dug deeply into the couch cushion, and the black smoke around her neck spilled out in one thick stream. He did not cease the movement of his hips until every last drop was out, then he hunched over and rested his head on her shoulder. Shizuo held Celty's still warm body tightly, moving the hand that was on her clit to her hip instead. Celty's legs felt weary, but she knew that as long as Shizuo supported her, she was not going to collapse. The feeling going through both of them right now was indescribable. They felt positively over the moon, and nothing could ever bring them down.

Once Shizuo's breathing and heart rate had calmed, he slowly pulled his member – which was now softer – out of Celty and kissed her neck. "Wow. Just...wow," was all he could manage to say at the moment.

Celty chuckled and groped about for her PDA. She drunkenly typed out, [Yeah. Wow. That was amazing.]

Shizuo squinted slightly to read the message, then nodded. "It was. God." His body still feeling similar to a wet noodle, he hauled himself onto the couch, then held his hand out to Celty. When she grasped his arm, he pulled her up next to him with all the strength he could muster, which still seemed like quite a bit to a normal person. However, to him, that was nothing. He draped his arm around her petite shoulders and looked down at her, smiling.

Celty looked back to him and asked simply, [What?]

Shizuo took her free hand in his and looked at her lovingly. "I love you so much, Celty."

The Dullahan "blushed" and replied, [I love you, too, Shizuo.] They sat in silence for a bit, simply looking at each other, not knowing what to say next. Celty brought her legs up on the couch, then snuggled into Shizuo's side. He held her closer and leaned his head back on the cushion behind him, closing his eyes. His eyes quickly opened again when he heard the tapping of fingers on keys. He looked over and read the message Celty held before him. [Can I tell you something?]

"What is it?"

[Making love to you was the first time I ever felt truly alive. Even though I'm missing a lot of the vital parts of being a human.]

Shizuo lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. "Like what?"

Celty gestured to her neck. [Well, a head, for one thing. Also a pulse. Breathing. Warmth.]

Shizuo shrugged. "I dunno. You felt pretty warm to me. Besides, all those things don't make you human. The emotions you felt during it do. And the fact that you called it 'making love' instead of just 'sex.'"

Celty sighed. [True, but I had said being _A_ human. Not just human.]

"Same difference."

[Is not!]

Shizuo laughed. "Y'know you're kinda cute when you're mad?"

Celty hunched her shoulders as if she were hanging her head. [I'm not even mad. :P]

The little emoticon Celty added at the end of the last message made Shizuo laugh even harder. It was so unlike her to use such a thing, and seeing it there seemed so out of place. After calming down, he hugged Celty tightly and nuzzled her neck. "God, I love you!"

Since Shizuo was hugging her so tightly, Celty was unable to type a reply to that, but she knew that he knew she loved him. "_I knew he was just a big mush ball underneath that tough guy attitude,"_ she thought to herself.

Shizuo finally released her from his grip, then placed a light kiss at the top of her neck. "So, wanna watch a movie? I'm not really that tired."

A movie sounded like a great idea, oddly enough. Celty didn't even care what kind...as long as it wasn't about aliens. [Sounds good. I'm not, either.]

Shizuo stood up and moved toward the bathroom. "Alright. I'll go clean up and grab a blanket. You can pick the movie." As he walked away, Celty peeked over the couch and took in the view before her.

She could feel herself blushing as she thought, "_Damn, he has a nice ass..."_ She felt almost embarrassed for thinking so, but in no way did she feel ashamed. Celty got up off the couch and moved toward the television, which stood on a small, wooden cabinet. Within the cabinet itself was where Shizuo kept all his movies. He didn't have many, but Celty could tell he had good taste. She saw that he even had copies of all of his brother Kasuka's movies, which she thought was very sweet. She decided on one of them, both to make him happy and to actually see one for herself. She thought Kasuka was a very good actor, and was becoming quite a fan. As Celty started up the DVD player and turned on the TV, she felt a presence behind her. Before she could turn around, she felt a pair of warm, muscular arms surround her and hold her.

Shizuo bit Celty's shoulder playfully and growled low in his throat as he did so. "Damn, you have a nice ass," he muttered. Celty chuckled and pulled him back to the couch once the movie was in. She showed him the case to tell him which one she picked. He smiled and said, "Great choice. That one's actually my favorite."

Celty was glad to hear her choice was appreciated. [Well I haven't seen it yet, so don't give too much away.]

Shizuo chuckled as he draped the blanket over them. "Don't worry, I never talk during movies, especially Kasuka's." He lies down and pulls Celty on top of him, then wraps his arms around her and holds her close to his chest. Once the movie began, the pair were completely silent, save Shizuo's steady breathing and occasional reaction to whatever was happening in the movie. Even though they weren't talking, this was perfect. They were simply enjoying each other's company, and that was enough, even after the events shortly before.

Celty snuggles close to Shizuo and sighs contently. Lying naked with Shizuo was perhaps the most perfect end to what started as a not so perfect evening. All her troubles seemed to melt away and she was able to just forget about everything; about Shinra, about Izaya, about her insecurities. Shizuo made her remember what was really important. She had her head in her possession again. She was alive and breathing. She had a steady job. She had a roof over her head. But most importantly, she knew who it was her heart belonged to, and would belong to, forever.


	5. Chapter 5

_Greetings, readers! :D I do apologize for not updating in awhile. Procrastination combined with busyness can be a bit of a hassle. ^^' Anywho! Here's the long awaited chapter 5! I hope you enjoy~ :)_

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Shizuo snored softly and rolled over in his sleep. He was lying on his small red sofa, tangled up in his navy blue comforter. He cuddled with a bundled lump of it, having mistaken it for Celty in his unconscious state. As he turned over onto his stomach, his eyes groggily opened when he caught whiff of something cooking. Rubbing his eyes and releasing his hold on the blanket, he sat up and looked toward the kitchen. After a second of letting his eyes adjust, he smiled at the sight he saw. Celty was wearing his shirt, which was barely long enough to cover her still bare ass, and making what he could only guess was pancakes. Shizuo swung his legs over the side of the couch, resting his feet on the cool floor, then stretched and yawned. He cracked his neck as he stood up, then he retrieved his boxers from the floor. After slipping his legs into the black shorts, he made his way to the kitchen.

Celty had heard Shizuo stirring as she continued to cook. She knew that pancakes, especially chocolate chip, were his favorite, so she thought it would be a nice surprise for him to wake up to. She even poured him a glass of milk and left it on the table along with the bottle. Without turning away from the stove, Celty typed a message on her PDA. [Good morning. I was wondering when you were going to wake up.] She held the device over her shoulder so Shizuo could read it.

Shizuo read the text on the screen and smiled, then wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "G'morning yourself. You're makin' pancakes?"

[Chocolate chip. I know they're your favorite. There's milk on the table for you, too. The pancakes are almost ready.]

Shizuo grinned and kissed Celty's neck, squeezing her closer for a moment. "You're the best, ya know that?"

Celty chuckled and nuzzled his head. [I try~] Shizuo wandered over to the table and found the glass sitting in the center. He picks it up and chugs it down in a matter of seconds. It was still cold, so Celty must have just poured it. The blonde smacks his lips at the chill inside his mouth, then pours another glass and sits down at the small, wood table. Celty soon brings a plate with four golden brown pancakes over as well as a fork and sets it in front of him. Shizuo preferred eating pancakes plain, without syrup or butter, so he simply picked up the fork and cut through the edge of the stack and raised it to his mouth.

When the contents of his fork touched his tongue, his eyes lit up similar to a small child's. Those brown eyes widened with excitement as he chewed and swallowed the chocolatey, doughy discs. He looked at Celty, eyes still wide, and said to her, "These are the best damn pancakes I've ever had."

Celty chuckles silently as she leans on the table. The buttons of Shizuo's shirt – which she practically swam in, it was so big – were only buttoned to the third from the top, so that gave Shizuo a nice view of her cleavage as she leaned over. [I'm so glad you like them!]

Shizuo chuckled as he cut himself another bite. "Not bad for a girl with no taste buds."

If Celty had eyes, they would have been rolled at that comment. [It's called following the recipe, genius.] Shizuo simply scoffed and ate his current forkful of pancake. Celty waited a moment until he swallowed, then typed another message. [Shizuo, about last night...]

Shizuo took a gulp of milk, read the screen, and sighed. "Lemme guess: It was a horrible mistake and it should never happen again, right?"

Celty jumped slightly at Shizuo's comment. [What? That's not what I was gonna say at all! Why would you think that?]

Shizuo could feel his cheeks turn a light pink. "It wasn't? Oh...sorry. Well then, what _were _you gonna say?"

The Dullahan walked around the table to stand right next to him. [I was going to say that last night was perfect and amazing, and I hope it happens again soon.]...[Really soon.]

Shizuo's lips turn up in a crooked smirk, then he pushes his chair back slightly so he could wrap his arms around Celty's and pull her close. He looks up at her and notices how her smoke seemed to actually swirl around as opposed to simply stream upward like it usually did. He only guessed that was due to some sort of change in emotion. "Oh, really? Well, how about right now?"

Celty's smoke swirled around a little thicker, then replied, [Well...I want to say yes, but I don't want to make you late for work. Maybe later, though.]

"Aw, come on," Shizuo growled playfully. "Not even a quickie?"

Celty wagged a finger at him. [Sorry, my answer is final. Now finish your pancakes.] She poked his nose lightly and waited for him to free her from his arms. Though in all honesty, she didn't really want him to.

Shizuo sighed and brought his arms back to his sides. "Fine. Man, you sure drive a hard bargain, Rider." He scooted his chair close to the table and picked up his fork, then quickly scarfed down the rest of the pancakes. While he ate, Celty wandered to the living room and picked up their clothes which were still scattered about the floor from last night's throes of passion. Celty sighed contently as she recalled those events and wondered when exactly it would happen again. She really did want to just take him right now, right in the kitchen, but like she had said, she didn't want to make Shizuo late for work; he was going to be cutting it close as it was. Perhaps she would surprise him when he got home. As Celty bent over to pick up her panties, which somehow ended up near the television, she felt a light smack on her still bare ass. She instantly stood up straight and whipped around, only to find Shizuo still standing by the table with his plate and glass in hand. He looks at her, confused and innocent. "What?"

Celty walked up to him and asked, with a hand on her hip, [Did you just spank me?]

Shizuo just shrugged and replied, "I dunno what you're talkin' about. You sure you're not imagining things, Celty?" Celty's whole upper body moved side to side as she expressed her exasperation. She continued to pick up the clothes and returned her panties and suit to her bag, which had been sitting by the door since last night, then went to hand Shizuo the remainder of his clothes. He smiles at her gratefully, then looks her up and down with a smirk on his face. "Thanks. So do I get the shirt back, too? Or do you wanna hang onto it?"

Celty shrugged and ran a finger up his arm after replying, [That depends. Which would you prefer? ;)]

Shizuo chuckled and shivered slightly at her light, cool touch. Then he nudged her shoulder lightly and said, "Keep it. It looks good on ya." He winked at her, which caused a puff of smoke to emerge from her neck. He chuckles once more, then added, "By the way, Celty, I can't take ya seriously when you type those little faces. It's unlike you."

Celty shrugged and raised her hands, exasperated. [Well I can't exactly make the faces myself. So until I can, you're going to have to deal.]

Shizuo smirked and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Rider. I'm getting' in the shower now." When he was in the doorway to the bathroom, he turns back to her and asked, with a crooked smirk across his lips and a smolder in his brown eyes, "Wanna join me?"

Another large cloud of smoke puffed from Celty's neck, then after thinking for a moment, she scurried excitedly after him and shut the door behind her.

Celty sat curled up in Shizuo's navy blue blanket on the couch, watching the same movie they watched last night. She was still wearing the white button-up shirt from before, and every now and again she would smell it, breathing in the scent of tobacco and cologne; Shizuo's scent. It was musky and slightly bitter, but it suited him well. The day was still fairly early, so Celty wondered what she would do after the movie was over. However, just when the movie hit the halfway point, her PDA began to ring. She looked at the caller ID, only to see that it was Izaya calling. _"Ugh, can't he leave me alone today?"_ She pressed answer and waited for him to respond.

Izaya waited for the line to ring once more, but when it did not, he knew Celty had picked up. "Good morning, my dear transporter. I have another job for you later today. Meet me at the park at around 4. I'll give you further instructions then." He promptly hangs up after telling Celty this, and she stares at the blank screen for a moment. She sighs and plops her PDA down next to her.

"_He couldn't wait a couple of hours to tell me this? Four o'clock is five and a half hours away. Oh well. I guess I can set an alarm now so I don't forget." _Celty does so, then goes back to watching the movie.

Meanwhile, in Shinjuku, Izaya was clenching his cell phone tightly in his hand while he stared in disbelief at his computer monitor. It was showing a recording of Shizuo and Celty rummaging through his bookcase. This went on for a few minutes, then when Shizuo pulls a large cylindrical jar off the shelf, Izaya pauses the video and gazes at it furiously. Izaya rarely got angry, since he didn't really have anything to be angry about, but he drew the line when people stole from him. He drew a long, shaky breath to try and contain himself. "So, the Dullahan thinks she can just go and steal from me, eh? Well, we'll see about that." He rests his elbows on his desk and places his fingertips together, plotting his next move.

Namie Yagiri, his secretary, was sitting at her own desk when she heard Izaya say something, but couldn't hear his exact words over the clicking of her fingers on the keyboard as she typed. She stopped typing for a moment, then asked him, "What are you mumbling about over there?"

Izaya chuckled maliciously as a grin spread across his face. "Oh, nothing. You need not concern yourself, Namie."

The secretary narrowed her dark grey eyes at the Info Broker, then simply shrugged and went back to her work. She usually never pried or questioned Izaya's affairs, nor did she particularly care, so she usually left things alone and let him sort things out himself. However, this time Namie was rather curious about what he was plotting. _"I've never seen him act that way before. Something's got him bothered, I can feel it."_

Izaya continued to stare at the image frozen on the computer screen. At first it was just the whole image, then his gaze drifted to Shizuo as his plan came together. His grin widened, and his dark eyes narrowed. _"Well, Celty, if you're going to steal something important from me, then perhaps I should return the favor. Maybe in a few hours, I'll pay old Shizu-chan a visit."_ Izaya sat back in his chair and rested his hands behind his head. He loved when a plan came together.

Tom looked over at his bodyguard, confused and slightly alarmed. He's caught Shizuo in a good mood before, but never _this_ good. The blonde was smiling from ear to ear; his body and expression were completely relaxed; he had a slight bounce in his step; and what surprised him most of all? There was no cigarette in his mouth. Tom had been debating whether or not to ask Shizuo what was going on, and had decided against it for the past hour or so. But now his curiosity was getting the better of him. He took a deep breath, then exhaled it, before dropping the question.

"Yo Shizuo, you feelin' alright?"

Instead of the usual, brief, "Fine," Tom was used to getting from Shizuo, he got a bit more of an answer, with some enthusiasm, as well. "Never better! Why do you ask?"

"Uh, well...it's just...I'm not used to seeing you like this. It's a little...weird."

Shizuo simply laughs and rests his hands behind his head. "Relax Tom, it's nothin' to be worried about. Besides, you'd be this happy too, if you had the night I did."

Now Tom was really curious. He raised an eyebrow and pulled the right corner of his mouth into a smirk. "Oh? And what kind of night was that?"

Shizuo chuckled and shoved his hands back in his pockets. "I don't kiss and tell."

That answer was enough for Tom to guess what had happened. There was no other reason why a man as serious as Shizuo would be acting this way. His smile spread and he asked simply, "You got laid, didn't you?" The bodyguard smirked and let a soft snicker escape his teeth. He knew that Tom would know his answer, even if he didn't outright admit it. He realized that the way he chose to answer gave off a sense of pride and perhaps a bit of gloating, but he didn't care; in fact, he kind of deserved it. Tom was now a bit excited for his friend. He had been saying for the longest time that Shizuo should meet a girl, and now he finally had. He chuckled with glee and patted Shizuo's back. "Way to go! Who was the chick?"

Shizuo glanced at Tom from under his shades. "Celty," he replied. He's talked to Tom about Celty before, but has been very vague with descriptions. The last thing he wanted to do was mention that she was the Black Rider. Perhaps he would someday, but that must come later. Maybe, once Tom and Celty have actually met.

Tom's eyes widen and patted Shizuo's back again, a little firmer this time. "Congrats, man! So, how was it?"

Shizuo sighed and thought back to last night for a moment. "Freakin'. Amazing." He wasn't one to go into detail, but he knew how to convey enough behind his words and actions and just let those do the talking. In this moment, and for every moment with Celty, he was walking on air, he felt truly invincible, and nothing could get him down.

Except for that blood-sucking, manipulative, motherfucking flea.

Izaya stood across the street from where Shizuo and Tom were walking, and as soon as Shizuo caught glimpse of him, he was his old self again. His eyes widened, his brow furrowed, he bore his teeth in a growling sneer, his hands clenched into fists. He started striding toward Izaya in a brisk walk, which soon built up to a quick jog, and soon he was running. Tom didn't bother to stop him once he realized who he was after, knowing he couldn't even if he tried. Once Shizuo locked onto his target, he and nearly everyone in 'Bukuro knew to get out of the way.

Izaya smirked and remained where he was as Shizuo charged toward him. _"That's right, just a little closer, Shizu-chan. Follow me right into my trap."_

"I-ZA-YAAA!" Shizuo yanked a "No Parking" sign from the concrete, then raised it above his head, preparing to strike Izaya with it. At the lest second however, Izaya gracefully leaped out of the way and laughed.

"Come on, Shizu-chan, You didn't expect it to be that easy, did you?"

"What the hell are you doing in Ikebukuro?!"

Izaya laughs right out loud. "Can't I visit this fine city every once in a while without you trying to beat me to a pulp?"

"FUCK NO!"

"Well, I tried." Izaya shrugged just as Shizuo swung at him again, then dodged him once more, and started running in the direction of the park.

Their chase continued all through Ikebukuro's streets and back alleys, with Izaya always staying one step ahead of Shizuo. Shizuo was getting quite tired of Izaya's games, and wished to high heaven that he could just catch him already. Most of the path they had crossed had been reduced to a junk heap – thanks naturally to Shizuo – and they have been going at it for nearly twenty minutes. Izaya briefly glanced at his watch; it was nearing four o'clock, the time he had instructed Celty to meet him at the park. He smirked to himself as they neared their destination. _"Time is drawing near now,"_ he thought. When they finally got to the park, Izaya stopped right in the middle of Shizuo and Celty's special spot. He allowed Shizuo to finally catch up to him, then took a seat on the bench.

Shizuo could feel himself slowing down. He wasn't tired, or anywhere near fatigued, yet for some reason he could feel his movements dragging as he continued to chase Izaya. However, he slowed due to shock when he realized where the info broker was leading him. Shizuo has known Izaya long enough to know that he never did anything coincidentally or by accident, so there had to be a reason why he brought him to this exact spot. Shizuo dropped the sign, which was now bent at several angles, and stood before Izaya in a stance which displayed his desire to fight. Shizuo's anger grew when he saw that Izaya was sitting in Celty's spot on the bench.

"Stand. Up. _Now_," the blonde said through gritted teeth.

Izaya crossed his legs and chuckled softly, shaking his head. "But why? I'm quite comfortable here."

"I said get up, Flea!"

Izaya sighed and reached inside his jacket. "Fine. As you wish, Shizu-chan." Shizuo expected Izaya to be reaching for his knife, which he more often than not used in their encounters, however he was beyond shocked when the dark haired man stood up. In his hand was not a knife, but a gun. It was an old looking revolver, and it was pointed right at Shizuo. Izaya kept completely cool and calm as he aimed the barrel at his long-time rival. "I never thought it would come to this. Frankly I rather hate guns, but nothing else is able to get my point across."

"The fuck are you talking about?" Shizuo asked. He was genuinely confused at this point. What "point" did Izaya mean? Why did he need a gun? Why did he lead him to this very spot in the park?

Izaya chuckled coldly as he locked his gaze on Shizuo. "You see Shizu-chan, I don't take kindly to people stealing from me. However, if that does happen to occur, I believe in the whole 'eye for an eye' rule. If someone steals from me, I must take something in return."

"_Oh shit. He knows."_ Shizuo had pieced it together in almost an instant. Izaya had somehow found out that he and Celty stole her head back, and now he was taking his revenge for it.

Izaya continued his speech. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I merely need our dear Dullahan to get the message so that she will return what she stole from me. I had such plans with that thing, and I will NOT have them spoiled!" His voice began to increase in volume and he gripped the gun tighter. He was losing his temper, which was extremely rare for him. Shizuo had never seen him like this before, and it was freaking him out quite a bit. Izaya narrowed his eyes and clicked the safety off. Naturally, Shizuo turned to run, but it was too late.

_BANG! BANG!_

Twice, Izaya shot Shizuo – once in the shoulder, another in the left side. Shizuo collapsed to his knees as his body was taken over by the shock of getting shot. He had a high tolerance for pain, higher than anyone he had ever met, and he had been shot once before this by one of the Yellow Scarves, so this should've been no big deal. However, this time was different somehow. Perhaps it was because it was Izaya that shot him. Maybe it was because Izaya was trying to get to Celty through him. He didn't know the reason why, but all he did know was that he was in pain – a lot of it – for the first time in a very long time. Shizuo fell face first onto the cement, then watched as a pool of warm crimson flooded around him. He tried his hardest to get up, but his body wouldn't let him. It even hurt to breathe. All he could manage was to shift his eyes when Izaya moved to stand over him.

"Do me a favor, would you Shizu-chan? When Celty comes to find you, tell her what happened here. And tell her she knows where to find me when she's ready to talk. And I really am sorry I had to do this, just next time you want to steal from me – don't." Izaya slipped the gun back into his jacket, then walked off with his hands in his pockets. He wore a cruel grin across his lips as he looked up at the sky, which was beginning to look a bit overcast. _"Now to play the waiting game. I know you'll be coming, Celty. And I'll be waiting for you."_

Shizuo was beginning to black out as his body lost more and more blood. He cursed himself for not being able to get away in time, or at least stop Izaya. And of course, he cursed the very man responsible for this. "Damn you...I...za...ya..." His brown eyes went blurry, then slowly closed. _"Please Celty, find me."_

Four o'clock rolled around quickly, and Celty could feel something foreboding in the air. She actually shivered at the chill she felt, which she only did when something was really wrong. Shizuo wasn't answering her messages either, so now she knew something was up. She desperately wished Izaya hadn't called her out on a job at this time, otherwise she would be out investigating the cause of the dismay she felt. _"I haven't felt something this threatening in quite a while. I really hope it's nothing too serious."_ Celty continued on her ride to the park, and all the while the dark feeling in the air kept getting worse and worse. She pressed Shooter to go faster, wanting to get this meeting with Izaya over with as soon and as quickly as possible.

A ghostly whinny sounded in the distance. Shizuo fought his way back into consciousness as the sound hit his eardrums. He managed to open one eye briefly before falling into the grasp of the pain still burning through his torso. If he could hear Shooter, that had to mean Celty was nearby. His body was still completely paralyzed from the shock, and he could tell that he was losing a good amount of blood. He started to feel cold, and was unsure if it was due to the temperature in the air or the blood loss.

Celty wandered into the park, looking for Izaya, but the whole time, she sensed another reason for her being there. She began looking around frantically, and her pace picked up drastically. _"What am I looking for? It's not Izaya, that's for sure. It feels more important than that. Almost as if...someone's in trouble. But who?"_ Celty soon found herself walking closer and closer to her and Shizuo's special spot, and there, lying on the pavement in a puddle of blood, was..._"Shizuo? No. No!"_ The frantic Dullahan appeared by Shizuo's side in a flash and knelt beside him. Upon seeing the bleeding wounds in his back, her hands began to shake uncontrollably as she tries her best to at least slow the bleeding by placing patches of her shadows over the wounds. Once the patches were securely in place, Celty lifts Shizuo gingerly off the cement and into her lap. His eyes were closed, but he was still breathing, which calmed her slightly.

Shizuo heard Celty's footsteps as she ran toward him, then felt some strange sensation in his back and side as she covered the bullet wounds. He groaned softly as she rolled him over, but he managed to relax once he was resting against her body. As his brown eyes just barely opened, all he saw before him was a blurry, yellow blob atop a black silhouette. He felt himself smile weakly, then he took in a labored, shaky breath. "You...came...for me," Shizuo managed to say. His voice was barely a whisper, but Celty could hear him just fine, and he knew that. He then lifted a hand to touch her helmet, which Celty took in one of her own hands. She was relieved that he was able to speak and move now, but something concerned her: what had happened here? And had he been expecting her to be here? Celty allowed Shizuo's hand to drop as she reached for her PDA. However, before she could type anything, he spoke again. "How'd you know...where to find me?"

Celty hesitated, confused by his question. [I didn't even know you were here. I just happened to see you here. Izaya was the one who asked me here.]

Shizuo's eyes became full of rage. His sunglasses had gotten knocked off when he fell, so Celty was able to see the full emotion for herself. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it lightly, which frightened her a little. "Celty...he's...the one who did this." Shizuo's voice sounded almost like a growl, it was so low and threatening.

Celty's hands began to shake again. _Izaya_ did this? Did she really hear that right? [He what?]

Shizuo's strength quickly began to return as the rest of his body filled with the same rage as in his eyes. "Izaya...he knows...about your head. He knows we took it. The reason he shot me was to get to you, so you'd return it."

[Where is he?]

"At his apartment. He's waiting for ya, Celty."

[I see.] Celty managed to remain calm on the outside, but inside, she was absolutely livid. How _dare_ Izaya threaten Shizuo's life when it was really hers he wanted? That bastard was in for a world of hurt and punishment when she got her hands on him. However, right now there were more pressing matters to attend to. [We need to get you to a hospital. You've lost a lot of blood.]

Shizuo chuckled softly, wincing slightly from the pain. Then he replies, "I know your heart's in the right place there, but I can't afford a damn hospital. I could barely afford a regular doctor."

Celty shrugged and responded back, [Well what do you propose we do?]

The blonde looks at the Dullahan, confused. He was so surprised she hadn't thought of the obvious, and desperate, answer. Then again, given all she's been through in the past few days, it was understandable. "Well...there is _one_ doctor I could see. One who's fixed me up before in times like this."

Celty immediately knew the very doctor he spoke of, but she was extremely opposed to the thought of having to see him again. [Shizuo, no. Please. Anything but that.]

"What other choice do we have? He's the only one who'll do it for free, and from the job he did last time, he obviously knows how to sew up bullet wounds. You don't even have to talk to the guy. Just drop me off, then go deal with Izaya. Just...choose quick. I don't know how much longer I can last like this."

Celty thought about it long and hard. There was no way in hell she would go back to that apartment under normal circumstances, but this was an emergency. As it stood, Shinra was probably the only one close by who could save Shizuo's life. Her shoulders heaved silently and hunched forward in defeat. [Fine. Just as long as I don't have to look at his stupid face.] With that, she tucked her PDA away, then hauled Shizuo to his feet and sat him on the back of Shooter. The engine revved, a whinny followed, then the shadow steed took off like a shot to the last place Celty wanted to be right now. Shizuo leaned his full body against hers and wrapped his arms around her torso, not having enough strength to sit up. Even though having him lean almost all of his body weight against her made it a little difficult to maneuver the way she was used to, it was still calming having him this close to her, even given the current situation. Having their bodies pressed together this way put her mind more at ease, and she felt she had more of a chance at confidently facing Shinra for the first time since the breakup.

When they finally arrived at the apartment, Shizuo leaned against Celty for support as she helped him to the door, then against the wall as she knocked on the door. The Dullahan began to fidget, nervous as to what Shinra's reaction will be to her and Shizuo being here. She even had to wonder, would he accept their request? If he turned them away, there wasn't much else they could do. However, Celty knew Shinra wasn't the type to turn someone away, especially if they needed medical attention. Shortly after she knocked, she heard footsteps from within, then the door opened to reveal the doctor, still in his normal work clothes. She kept her head down, but she knew the expression on his face was not exactly a pleasant one.

Shinra was beyond shocked to see Celty before him. He wasn't exactly sure how to feel, since they didn't end on the best of terms. He decided it best to wear a neutral expression on his face, until the Dullahan said whatever it was she had to say. "Celty. What are you doing here? I thought you said you weren't coming back?"

Still keeping her helmet facing toward the floor, since she refused to look Shinra in the face, she slipped out her trusty PDA and replied, [Don't get your hopes up. I need your help.] She then held the message up for him to see.

Shinra tilted his head curiously. "With what?" Celty tilted her helmet to the side, motioning for Shinra to look to her right. He peeked out into the hall, then gasped in surprise when he saw Shizuo leaning against the wall, his clothes soaked with blood. "Oh my god! What happened?!"

Celty helped Shizuo inside the apartment, then typed to Shinra as she handed the blonde off to him, [He can fill you in on the details. For now I have somewhere I need to be. Please take care of him.] She then turned to Shizuo and added, [I'll be back soon. Is it okay if I remove the patches now?]

Shizuo nodded. "Sure. Might as well, since he'll be fixin' me up. Be careful, Celty." And with one final nod, she was gone.

"_Prepare yourself, Orihara. I'm coming for you."_


	6. Chapter 6

Izaya stood in front of the large window behind his desk, staring out at the city below him, at all of his precious, little humans as they scurried along with their everyday lives. As fascinating as he still found them, there was only one presence he knew would make him feel better in this moment. He waited patiently for the Dullahan to arrive, and for his prize to be in his possession once again. In the background, he could hear the steady tapping and clicking as Namie typed on her computer. As the clock struck five, the tapping stopped, and Namie prepared to leave for the night. Once she had gathered all of her things, she called out, "I'll see you tomorrow, Izaya-san."

Without turning around, Izaya called back to her. "Oh Namie, wait." Once he was sure he had her attention, he continued, "Why don't you take tomorrow off?"

Namie was struck with shock. What had gotten into him? He was acting very out of character, starting with how quiet and serious he had been all day. She narrowed her dark brown eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "What's the catch?"

Izaya chuckled lightly, not letting his true feelings show to his secretary. He turned on his heel and shrugged nonchalantly. "No catch. It's just that you have been working very hard lately and I think you deserve a break. I'm only going to offer this one time, so take it or leave it."

Namie stared at Izaya for a moment as the contemplated his offer. Eventually she shrugged and said, "Fine, since you're offering. Well, have a good night then. See you in a couple days." And without another word, she left.

Once the door had shut behind Namie, Izaya's expression hardened once again. He took a deep, steady breath and returned his attention to his window. "I know you're coming, Celty."

Over at Shinra's place, the doctor was busy tending to Shizuo's wounds. Since the ex-bartender didn't feel pain, Shinra didn't have to worry about giving him any anesthetic. Once Celty left, he was quick to lay down towels on the floor, since the bullets were in Shizuo's back, and got right to work. He retrieved his doctor's tools as well as bandages and a bowl full of alcohol. When Shinra began, he decided he needed more information about what had happened. "So Shizuo...what happened exactly? Who shot you?"

Shizuo tensed up and a low growl escaped his throat. Whenever he did that, he much resembled a dog getting ready to fight, with his teeth bared and his shoulders hunched over. The blonde did his best to stay calm as he spoke, however the anger and hatred was raw in his deep voice. "Izaya did. It was his way of drawing Celty out. He thought that he could get even by taking something important from her since she took something from him."

Shinra was silent for a moment, then replied, "This is about her head isn't it?"

Shizuo scoffed. "Tch. What do _you_ think?"

"I see."

The two men were silent for a while as Shinra opened the bullet holes slightly, then using a pair of thick tweezers, he slowly slid the bullets out and placed them in the bowl of alcohol. Nothing could be heard aside from their breathing, and the _plink_ of metal hitting the glass bowl. At last the bullets were out of Shizuo's body, and Shinra folded together some gauze to tape over the wounds. Finally Shizuo spoke.

"Y'know, she cried last night. Not a lot, but she did cry. She was real upset things ended between you two."

Shinra abruptly stopped what he was doing when Shizuo spoke. He didn't even have to say Celty's name and he knew he was talking about her. He sighed and hung his head, then continued patching up Shizuo. When he was finished with the first patch, and as he worked on the second, Shinra said to Shizuo, "I...still can't believe things are over between us. The awful things I said when she left...god, she must hate me."

Shizuo chuckled softly. "Well, she wasn't exactly thrilled that we had to come here. But she did anyway. So I don't think she _hates_ you, she just needs some time to get over you."

Shinra nodded. "I understand. Although, there's something that's been troubling me since our argument."

"What?"

"Celty told me you said I was shallow. Is that true?"

Silence followed once again, then Shizuo began to laugh darkly. "Yeah, it's true," he said outright. He didn't even try to sugarcoat it, since he didn't much care what Shinra thought of him for thinking such a thing. "All these years, you kept saying she looked perfect without her head, and yet not _once_ did you consider that she might look perfect _with_ it, too. For 20 years she kept looking for that thing, and not _once_ did you help her. Instead, you kept it a secret that you knew where it was, that you actually saw it with your own eyes, and left her in the dark. You have no idea what kind of pain she was in trying to find her head. Instead you only focused on the little fantasy future you had with her, and never did you consider her true happiness! You're a selfish bastard for that, Shinra, and Celty had every right to leave you!"

Shinra took a long minute to process Shizuo's words, while he wrapped the bandages around the blonde's muscular body. When he was finally done, he said, "Shizuo...I need you to promise me something." Shizuo did not reply, but rather sat up and looked at Shinra to show he was paying attention. "Please take care of her. Make sure she's happy – happier than she ever was with me. Love her more than anything else in this world. And above all, protect her. I was never strong enough to do that, but _you_ are. Celty may be independent and strong, but she needs a pair of strong arms to hold her when she feels weak and hopeless. She needs _your_ arms, Shizuo. I know it's a lot to ask for, but I just need to know she's in good hands." Shinra looked up at Shizuo, his face stern and expectant.

Shizuo smirked and nodded his head once. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her. I'll never tell anyone this besides her, but I love her. I wanna be the one to protect her, and I know she wants me to be, too."

Shinra smiled, feeling reassured. "Good. I'm glad she found someone more like her. You two are good together, I'm not gonna lie. And who knows? Maybe she can keep that temper of yours in check."

Instead of getting mad at the comment about his temper, Shizuo simply laughed softly and shook his head. "Yeah. Who knows?" He breathed a sigh, then stood up and started putting his shirt back on. "Well, you probably want me out of your hair. Guess I'll be going."

Shinra shot up and tried to persuade Shizuo to stay. "Huh?! No Shizuo, you can't go yet! At least give those wounds a little time to heal!"

Shizuo laughed at the doctor's request. "Did you forget the last time this happened? Last time I got shot I was up and moving in no time. Besides, all I'm gonna do is go home and relax. And hey, if Celty comes back here, tell her where I am, will ya?"

Shinra nodded. "Sure. I can do that." Just as Shizuo turned for the door, Shinra called out, "And Shizuo...thank you." With one final nod, Shizuo closed the door behind him and headed for home.

As he walked the streets of Ikebukuro, he couldn't help but wonder where Celty was right now. He wondered if she was at Izaya's yet, and of she was, what she was possibly doing to him. As the thought of Izaya crossed his mind, he felt the urge for a cigarette, so he reached into his vest pocket and pulled out the pack. When he went for his lighter however, it was nowhere to be found. He checked every pocket, but he couldn't find the damn thing. "Where the hell could I have dropped it?" he asked out loud. Shizuo sighed loudly and put the cigarette back in the pack, then returned the pack to his pocket. "Aw to hell with it. I've been tryin' to quit anyway." As he walked on, he looked up at the waning moon and watched his breath curl before him in the autumn evening air. _"Celty. Please be careful."_

To any passerby, it would look like just another typical evening for the Black Rider. However, there is always more than meets the eye when it came to the Dullahan. Within the confines of the yellow, finned helmet, Celty's shadowy mist writhed about in pure rage, even thickening a bit and slipping out through the visor and bottom of the helmet. She tried her best to remain calm, so she didn't frighten any bystanders, but was finding it futile with where her mind was. All she was focused on at this moment was finding Izaya and ending his life. In her right hand, the Dullahan clutched a blue plastic lighter, the one Shizuo had been using recently. She had stolen it out of his pocket while helping him into Shinra's apartment, having gotten an idea of how to take care of Izaya, or at least how to scare him shitless. Normally she would only have thought of ways to do the latter, but the Info Broker had gone to far in shooting the man she loved. Celty was absolutely furious, and she was out for revenge. Upon arriving in Shinjuku, her rage began to build as she located Izaya's apartment building. Her shadows trailed behind her as Shooter accelerated, erupting in a bone-chilling neigh that could could be heard by everyone in the area, including the Info Broker himself.

Izaya remained by the window of his apartment, and flashed a menacing grin when he heard the spectral steed's call. He flicks open his knife and begins to twirl it around in his hands. He grew ever anxious as the faerie of death made her approach. His tongue darted out to lick the corner of his lips at the thought of his ultimate goal finally coming to fruition. "Yes, my Valkyrie. Come to me. Come and show me your true power."

The Dullahan had finally made it. Of course, she was in no mood to be patient and park Shooter outside, so she instead revved the engine, propped up on the back wheel, and ascended the wall of the building. She could hear the surprised cries and various outbursts of the citizens below, but she didn't care. She didn't care if they saw her, or if they were afraid. The only miserable human she cared about waited at the top floor. As she got closer and closer to the top, Celty let a furious growl rip through her throat, which had managed to manifest itself and echo in the cold night air. Another whinny erupted from her steed as a group of clouds began to cover the moon.

From his top floor, Izaya practically shivered with delight. A chuckle escaped his throat which almost borderlined insanity. Suddenly, he stepped backward toward his sofa, but all the while he never took his cold eyes off the window.

Celty was only two floors away now, and in the hopes of intimidating him even a little, she decided to channel the man she was getting revenge for. Her pitch black shadow scythe materialized into her hand, then mustering all of her fury, she cried out...

"_IIIIZAAAAYYAAAAAAA!"_

As Celty crashed through the window of the apartment, Izaya kept as steady a poker face as he could, as his eyes locked on the Dullahan. He allowed a smirk to cross his lips as he spoke. "So nice of you to show up, Celty. I was beginning to think you'd skipped out on me."

With her voice still echoing out, Celty replied, "Of course I showed up! We have unfinished business!"

Izaya's eyes brightened a bit, and his smirk widened. "That we do!" His eyes darted all around the Dullahan, looking for what it was she stole from him. "Well? Where is it?" He was getting nervous now, since it was nowhere to be found on her person. Perhaps she hid it?

Celty dismounted and removed her helmet. "It's not here, Izaya," she said simply. She knew exactly what it was he was talking about.

Izaya's smile fell and his left eye gave a subtle twitch. Mostly because of her answer, but also because hearing her voice on the physical plane was getting a bit annoying. He tried to remain calm. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because it doesn't belong to you!" Celty shouted as she gripped her scythe tighter.

Izaya laughed coldly, and could feel the walls of his patience and sanity slowly crumbling. "While that may be true, Celty, I _need_ that wonderful head of yours! You see, I know what you are, Celty. You're more than just a Dullahan, and I know that!" He began to speak as if Celty knew what he was talking about, being very vague with his words. "All I have to do is spark a war in the city, and then you'll awaken! And take me to my final rest!"

Celty had had just about enough of his drabble. "Enough talk!" She disperses some of her shadows around the room and has them surround the walls, completely boxing them in so Izaya could not escape. Then she swings her scythe at him, only for him to dodge it. She tries striking him again and again, but he avoided her every move.

Izaya laughed as he merely dodged Celty's attacks, leading her all around the apartment, knocking various things over and breaking others. All the while, all Izaya could do was laugh. "Poor little Dullahan! You come all this way to get revenge for me shooting your precious Shizu-chan, and you can't even touch me! Face it, you're no match for me, because I'll always be on step ahead of you!"

It was time for Celty to stop playing around now. She shot a line of her shadow-stuff at Izaya, catching him by the throat, then wrapped more around him so he couldn't move. She reels him in closely, and looked him dead in the eyes, then says softly, "Is that all you think I came here for? Getting revenge for Shizuo?" She laughed coldly, which echoed through the now disheveled apartment. "Oh no, Orihara. That was just the tip of the iceberg. I also want to get back at you for keeping my head from me!" With him still tied up, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, picked him up, then threw him against a wall, which was still reinforced by her shadows, so it was stronger than the wall itself. "I know you weren't the one who stole it, but you're the one who kept it hidden from me!"

Izaya chuckled weakly, his body aching slightly from being thrown to the wall. "Technically, Yagiri Pharmaceuticals did that first. I only recently took it since the company was going under."

With that, Celty hit the Info Broker against the wall again, a bit harder this time. "I know that, too! But _you're_ the one who kept it in plain sight! You must have been an _idiot_ to think I wouldn't find it here!"

Izaya laughed once more, a little more hysterically this time. "Well I obviously hid it better than I thought, since you didn't find it the whole time I had it! So, who's the idiot now?" Celty clenched her fists and punched Izaya in the face. A spot of blood escaped the corner of his mouth and slowly trickled down his chin.

When Izaya said or did nothing, Celty became wary. _"What is he up to?"_ she thought to herself. _"What is he waiting for?"_ She kept her hands clenched into fists, and eyed the man cautiously.

Finally he spoke. "Well? What are you waiting for? Finish me off. That's what you came here to do, right?" Celty was speechless. Izaya _wanted_ to die? That seemed so suspicious to her. Finally he looked up at her, his reddish-brown eyes burning with madness. "Come on, Celty! Do it! You have your head now, so you can awaken it! Make it wake up, so I may get a warrior's welcome into Valhalla!" He stood up and walked toward her, his legs shaking only slightly, while he wore an expression of insanity and, what Celty could only guess was desperation. This was a whole different side to Izaya she had never seen before, and it was kind of freaking her out. And why was he talking about Valhalla? She thought he didn't believe in such things. Izaya got as close to Celty as he could, staring at the thick, black smoke rising from her neck, and said softly, "Please, my Valkyrie. Send me where you will. I'm ready."

Celty stared at Izaya for a good, long moment. She still couldn't believe what she was seeing. It seemed as if Izaya Orihara had finally snapped. She still hated him, but she began to feel pity for him. It was sad really. The Dullahan wanted so badly to put him out of his misery, but at this point, that would be doing him a kindness. So, in response to his desperate plea, she made her scythe disappear, and simply replied, "No."

The Info Broker stood there, broken and confused. "W-why?"

The Dullahan towered over him, feeling somewhat accomplished that she finally had the upper hand. After all the times he's messed with _her_ mind, it was tie to give him a taste of his own medicine. Trying something with her powers she never has before, she allows herself to melt into the shadows, becoming one with the darkness. The only indication of her presence is her voice, which resembles a misty, echoing whisper. _~Because that's what you _want_ me to do. And I'm done listening to you, Izaya. I am not gong to kill you because I want you to suffer on this plane for the rest of your days.~_

Izaya laughed nervously, looking around the room for where Celty might be. He could not pinpoint her voice, for it sounded like she was everywhere at once, yet nowhere at all. "You think you can scare me? Because, it's going to take a lot more than that to do so. The things I've seen – the things I've _done – _nothing fazes me now. You've got nothing on me, Celty."

Celty thought for a moment, then realized she _did_ have something on Izaya. She chuckled darkly and replied, _~You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You think you're not scared of anything, that nothing, as you say, fazes you. Well I think I know something you are afraid of: being ignored.~_ It was subtle, but she heard Izaya gasp softly. Celty chuckled again, a little louder this time. _~What's wrong, Izaya? Did I strike a nerve?~_ She could see him getting more nervous, which meant she was breaking him. She never thought this day would come, the day Izaya Orihara lost his cool. _~I can tell that you don't mind being alone, so long as you have your precious little humans. Everyday you watch them scurry about, waiting for them to do something that you planned. You lay out these little plans and schemes, and more often than not, you get your way. You always get the satisfaction that even though _they_ don't know you caused it, _you _still do, and that just gets you off, doesn't it? But, say people stopped doing what you wanted them to do. What would you do then, hm? I bet you'd lose all meaning in your pathetic life and just give up. Am I close, Izaya? If people were to stop returning your sick, twisted love, would you lose purpose?~_ Once again, Izaya did nothing, so Celty continued. _~I'll tell you what, I'm willing to make you a deal. I'll let you live and let you do whatever you want with everyone else's lives again, _IF_ you promise to never mess with me or Shizuo again.~_

Izaya bowed his head and heaved a deep sigh. For the first time in his life, he felt defeated. There seemed to be nothing he could say or do that could get him out of this. However, Celty's deal did seem pretty reasonable. For a moment, he returned to his normal self. The Info Broker chuckled softly, a smug smirk across his lips, and he said, "Sounds doable, however I make no guarantees."

Celty sighed heavily and materialized behind him. Her voice could no longer be heard, so her words were now to herself. _"Very well, then."_ She then struck Izaya on one of the pressure points in his neck, knocking him out. He fell face first onto the floor with a loud thud, and Celty unbound him. She stepped around him and slipped Shizuo's lighter out of her pocket, having put it there before she entered the apartment. She then looked over on the coffee table and saw that, for whatever reason, he had a can of lighter fluid sitting there. Normally she would have found that strange and random, even for Izaya, but right now there was only one thing on her mind. Celty added an extra layer of shadow-stuff to the floor, not wanting the flames to spread to the rest of the building, then grabbed the fluid from off the table and began to drizzle it everywhere she could. When the can was finally empty, she tossed it to the floor, then moved back over to Shooter by the window. She placed her helmet back on her neck, then glanced over at the unconscious Izaya. The Dullahan clicked the lighter to ignite, then said, _"If you make no guarantees about staying out of our lives, then I make no guarantees about you surviving this. I will not kill you with my own hands, Izaya. But I am willing to let the flames take care of that." _With that, she threw the lighter onto the floor, then made an opening in the shadow wall where the busted window was. Then, she and Shooter made their descent into the street.

Celty kept the hole open slightly, so Izaya could potentially make it out if he survived. She didn't regret what she did, not in the least. She just hoped that if on the off chance he lived through the fire, he stayed true to the proposal she gave him. Until then, she would have to wait and see what he decided to do. But for now, she could go back to her other worries. Shizuo was waiting for her back in Ikebukuro, so she made her way back to Shinra's apartment, much to her displeasure.

She arrived as quickly as she could, riding up that familiar elevator and then knocking on that familiar door. She held her PDA at the ready for when Shinra answered the door. In a matter of seconds, the doctor appeared, looking slightly shocked to see Celty there. He scratched his head as he rubbed his free hand on a white towel. "Uh, hey. What are you doing back here?"

Celty thought that was pretty obvious. She internally rolled her eyes and replied, [I came to chek on Shizuo. Is he alright?]

Shinra nodded and draped the towel over his shoulder. "Yeah, he's just fine. But I'm afraid you missed him. He headed home shortly after I patched him up. I tried to tell him no, but you know how he is."

Celty chuckled silently, knowing exactly what Shinra meant by that. Shizuo really was a stubborn one. [I understand. Well, I guess I'll be going. Thanks again for helping him.]

"It was no problem at all." Just as Celty turned to leave, Shinra called to her, "Celty, wait!" She stopped and turned around, surprised he wanted to talk to her. "I understand if you're still mad at me for what happened between us, but I just want you to know...I am sorry. I'm sorry it had to end the way it did. But, I hope you'll be happy with Shizuo. He'll take good care of you, I know it. And I know it'll take some time, but I hope someday we can be friends again."

Celty looked at Shinra for a brief moment, then nodded and replied, [Thank you, Shinra. I hope you'll find happiness, too. And for what it's worth, I hope we'll be friends again, too. Maybe not now, but someday. Take care.]

"You, too."

Then she was gone, and the two went their separate ways. At least, for now.

For now, Celty traveled to the one place she wanted to be more than anywhere else in the world: home, with the man she loved.


End file.
